INTRODUCTION

Political participation of women is necessary because it makes a positive

and significant impact on the rights and living conditions of women.
It exposes them to the outside world and widens their horizons.
It provides a forum to them to raise specific issues concerning women.
The participation of women in politics and particularly in PRIs is an
important political development of last 20th century. Before 20th century,
there was very less participation of women in politics.
The less participation of women in politics is a globally accepted notion
by all the societies of the world, whether traditional or modem.
Democracy is being considered as the best form of government because
it is 'right' and 'useful'. Right, because people may participate in the
policy formulation and its implementation at all levels of the political
and administrative system and useful, because politico-administrative
system is accountable to the people, and committed for their welfare.
In fact, people's participation is the core of the democracy. The efficacy
of a political system in a democracy lies in its initimate relationship with
the people.
The level of political participation among women in any society acts as a
reliable barometer of the health of its democracy. A democracy will fail
in its objective if women who constitute about half of the population
lack equal opportunity to participate in the governmental decision-
making process. They are an equal partner in the nation-building and
political development. It would be an ideal set-up, if women in large
numbers come forward to take part in politics.

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73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1993 and Its Features:
The 73rd constitutional amendment bill has introduced in Parliament in
September 1991 for strengthening the PRIs in the country. The bill
passed as 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 by the Parliament
that notified by the central government through official Gazette on April
20, 1993 as it got ratification by the state legislatures and assented by the
President of India. After notification, the PRIs now have constitutional
legitimacy. The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, inserted part IX
into the Constitution and added new articles from 243 to 243-0 (16
Articles) dealing with the PRIs. The main provisions and features of
73rd Amendment Act are as follows;

Objectives of Panchayat Raj:

The main objectives of Panchayat Raj system, according to 73rd
Amendment Act are,
(i) To give power to the people.

(ii) To build democracy from the bottom or grass-root level.

(iii) To design innovative plans for people’s involvement in village

development.

(iv) To inculcate the responsibility among the people for all

development activities in a village.
(v) To ensure the concrete benefits to the rural people from various
plans and programmes, etc.

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Constitution of Panchayat:
Article 243-B provides for three-tier system of Panchayat Raj to be
constituted in a State i.e., (i) Village (ii) Block, (iii) District. However, a
state with a population less than 20 lakhs may have only two-tier
structure (Village and District).
Article 243-C Provides for the composition of Panchayats (as per the
law of a state legislature).
Accordingly, the panchayat is composed of;
Members of panchayat who shall be elected directly by the voters of the
territorial constituencies in the panchayat area.
(i) Chairpersons of Village Panchayat in Taluka Panchayat, or Zilla
Panchayat where the state has no Taluka Panchayats.
(ii) Chairpersons of Taluka Panchayat in Zilla Panchayat.
(iii) Chairpersons of Panchayat and all members (elected and ex-officio
members). The state makes law, providing for the Chairperson of
Village Panchayat, but the chairperson of Taluka and Zilla
Panchayat should be from the elected members of them.

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Reservation of Seats:
Article 243-D Provides for reservation of seats, for SCs and STs, in
every panchayat. Accordingly, seats for SCs and STs should be reserved
in proportion to their population.
1. Not less than one-third of the total number of seats be reserved for
women belonging to SCs and STs.
2. Not less than one-third (including the number of seats, reserved for
women, belonging to SCs and STs) of total number of seats to be
filled by direct election in every panchayat be reserved for women
and such seats may be allotted by rotation to different
constituencies in a panchayat.
3. The offices of the chairperson in the panchayats at any level shall
be reserved for SCs and STs and women, in such manner as the
legislature of a state may by law provide. Further, not less than
one-third of the total number of offices of chairperson at every
level of panchayat shall be reserved for women.
The state legislature has the power to make any provision for reservation
of seats in any panchayat or offices of chairpersons in the panchayats at
any level in favour of backward classes.

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Women Reservation in Panchayats

As per provisions contained in Article 243 D of the Constitution, 1/3rd

of the Seats of Panchayati Raj Institutions and 1/3rd offices of the
Chairperson at all level of Panchayati Raj Institutions covered by Part IX
of the Constitution are reserved for women. The following states have
made legal provision for 50% reservation for women among members
and Sarpanches: Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand,
Kerala, Maharashtra, Orissa, Rajasthan, Tripura and Uttarakhand.
The Government has approved the proposal for enhancing reservation of
women in Panchayats from the present one-third to 50%. Accordingly, a
bill for amendment of the Constitution of India had been introduced in
the Parliament. As per the recommendation of the Parliamentary
Standing Committee, the Government has approved that reservation for
Schedule Castes and Schedule Tribes shall be on the basis of the
percentage of rural population and not total population.
The reservation in favour of backward class of citizens rests with the
State Legislatures under Article 243 (D) (6). Part IX of the Constitution
does not have any provision for reservation on the basis of religion.
Hence there is no scope to provide for reservation under these categories
for women by amendment.

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List of States having 50% reservation for Women in PRIs
1 Assam
2 Andhra Pradesh
3 Bihar
4 Chhattisgarh
5 Gujarat
6 Himachal Pradesh
7 Jharkhand
8 Kerala
9 Karnataka
10 Madhya Pradesh
11 Maharashtra
12 Odisha
13 Rajasthan
14 Sikkim
15 Tamil Nadu
16 Telangana
17 Tripura
18 Uttarakhand
19 West Bengal

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Problems to Women in Panchayati Raj Institutions

Negative and positive aspects of a plan or programme are natural things.

But in this sensitive issue like women empowerment it is very important
to find out the problems and also find out the solutions and suggestions
to solve the problems. There are several problems in the way of women
representatives in PRIs. It seems that it is injustice with the women until
we are not able to solve such problems.
Some of the main problems identified are:
(i) Political intervention in the functioning of Panchayats.
(ii) Women act as proxies for men.
(iii) Husband’s intervention of elected woman in her functioning.
(iv) Lack of political awareness among the women in rural areas.
(v) Negative public opinion regarding women’s leadership capacity.
(vi) Illiteracy or low standard of education among the women in rural
areas.
(vii) Lack of training courses especially for women representatives
(viii) Dominance of elected male members of the Panchayat.

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Suggestions to Increase the Participation of Women’s in
PRIs

Following are the suggestions found during the study to increase the
participation of the women in PRIs:
(i) It is seen that most of the time the political parties intervene in the
functioning of Panchayats. They even intervene in the election process
directly. It creates uncomfort for the women contestants and women
representatives. The government should take a strict action in such an
intervention of political parties and elections should be conducted fairly.
(ii) Most women are elected because of the status of their husbands,
fathers or sons and that such women often act as proxies for men’s view
at the councils being advised by their men relatives. It shows that
women represenatives are unable to perform their duties. We should
change our negative mentality and government should also organise
camps to restrict male members from intervening in their independent
functioning.
(iii) It has been mostly found that the husband of an elected woman
representative always intervenes in her day-to-day functioning. The
intervention is not only in small matters but he also intervenes in her
decision-making matters which is a big drawback in the women’s
participation.
(iv) In rural areas political awareness among the women is negligible. It
is the duty of the state government and local administration to educate
the women about the political issues and create awareness among them.
The government should organise awareness camps in rural areas with
the help of local administration from time-to-time.

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(v) The feudal thinking in our society is a big problem for our society as
well as in the path of women representatives of the PRIs. Most of the
people of our society have a negative opinion about the women’s
leadership capacity. But it is wrong. Here is a question of our mentality.
(vi) Special training and refresher courses for women representatives
should be conducted from time-to-time. It gives them confidence and
creates political awareness and power.
(vii) Reservation for women in a Panchayat is limited to only one or two
seats. The other elected male members dominate them easily. It is
mostly found that the male members dominate even head women
members also. There should be more numbers in reservation in a single
Panchayat. It shows majority of women representatives in the Panchayat
during meeting or decision making.
(viii) Government should make special provisions for the women
representatives and give them more powers as compared to male
counterparts and educate them about their powers. It helps them to work
efficiently and effectively. The government should also make efforts to
make the women realise about their powers, functions and leadership
capacities through various programmes.
(ix) There should be a provision to give honour to the women members.
Special financial rewards/incentives should be given to the Panchayats
in which there are more women members elected unopposed.

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Panchayati raj as a tool of women empowerment
Mahatma Gandhi, our father of the Nation, had visionary ideal of
genuine democracy through 'village republics' which he called
Panchayati Raj. The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act 1993 initiated a
new era of democratic decentralization. Through this democratic
mechanism powers and responsibilities developed upon elected
Panchayats at the District, intermediate and Village level.
No wonder, the situation today is more encouraging as it has helped in
empowering women at the grassroots level. Today according to many
surveys there are more than 26 lakhs elected representatives in the three-
tiered Panchayati Raj system of these over 10 lakhs are women, 5.2
lakhs belonging to the scheduled castes and 3.3 lakhs to the scheduled
tribes. Thus the Panchayati Raj system has empowered women and
marginalised groups. They have been given political representation and
gradually a process of Psychological revolution has been set in motion.
The first ever All India A.L. Neilson ORG MARG survey evaluating the
impact of Panchayati Raj has highlighted the nature of this
empowerment of women. The survey has been conducted across 24
states. It highlights how as ordinary members and as 80,000 women
Sarpanches a social revolution has been triggered off.

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CONCLUSION:

For participative democracy, it is true that empowerment of women

should be fully, alive at the grass root level. For ensuring rural
development as well as eradication of rural poverty in sustainable
manner at the grass root level, establishing good governances in
Panchayati Raj System should be prerequisite. In order to achieve the
good governance in rural sector the Government (both centre and State)
should attempt to delimit the bureaucratic pressure, to promote local
leadership, to remove structural deficiencies, to raise more financial
resources and at same time establishing "SOCIAL AUDIT" in all PRIs
network is also one of the best opportunity for shopping the Concept of
"Bharat Nirman", "Shining India", "Feel good" and this is not possible
without participation and empowerment of rural downtrodden women.

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