Patna : The contentious Women's Reservation Bill which seeks to provide 33 per cent of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies has brought an immediate realisation to dozens of bachelor lawmakers in Bihar — they need to get married soon.

The desire for wives has been sparked by fears that under the new law, bachelor lawmakers could lose their "family" seats if they are declared reserved for women.

Political experts say Bihar could be the first state in India to be impacted by the bill if it is passed by both Houses of the Parliament. The bill has been passed by Rajya Sabha, the upper house, but it is yet to pass the lower house.

Significantly, state assembly elections in this eastern Indian state are scheduled later this year.

Although the five-year tenure of the ruling National Democratic Alliance government in Bihar expires on November 24, indications are that elections could be advanced.

Party meeting

The chief minister Nitish Kumar, at a party meeting in Patna on Thursday, asked his party to get ready for polls which could be announced anytime.

"Now, I will have to marry soon. There is no way out for bachelor legislators like me," independent legislator Haribhushan Thakur Bachaul said.

"Who will represent my seat if it was reserved for a woman? But if I am married, I can, at least, field my wife for that seat and keep it in my family," Another legislator Narendra Singh added: "I have nursed my constituency so assiduously and was elected to state assembly on my own strengths but I, too, am quite apprehensive about my seat."

He also says he will search for a bride so he can lay claim to the seat if it becomes reserved.

Lawmaker couples

The bachelor legislators, however, could take their cue from a number of lawmaker couples.

Former Indian Federal Minister and Lok Sabha member Lalu Prasad's wife Rabri Devi is member of the Bihar assembly.

Others like Kausal Yadav and Raju Singh are lawmakers along with their wives in the assembly.

At present, the total number of elected women lawmakers in Bihar is 25 with a maximum of 12 women getting elected on the ruling Janata Dal (United) tickets.

But once the bill comes into force, the number of seats to be reserved for women in the assembly will go up to 83.