By, 73rd and 74th Amendment Acts of 1992; Panchayati Raj System
was established in India. This system gave grass-root level democracy. Rural women
were not getting their due share in development process. Social and political
backwardness prevented them from taking part in decision making. But these
amendments made provision for one-third reservation for women.
Hence, women got due share in policy making. Illiteracy among
women could be reduced. Their leadership skill developed. They came out of four
walls of houses and played decisive role in development. Gender bias is
reduced. They became more aware about their rights. They have started to demand
reservation in Parliament also.
But in some cases, women have been used as rubber-stamps. Actual
decisions are being taken by their male partners. Women may have stormed the
male bastion under the Panchayati Raj System, but in many cases it is the
husbands or male members of their families who are calling the shots.
The Panchayati Raj Ministry has received complaints that it is
the spouses or male members of the families of elected women representatives in
the rural bodies who are running the office. Elected women representatives have
reportedly been reduced to proxies of their male relatives and are under the
control of male-dominated political party system.
Maharashtra Government, in 2007, had issued a circular directing
all the PRIs in the state that lady office bearers should discharge their duty
themselves and their close relatives should not interfere in their work. States
and Union Territories have also been suggested to consider taking a similar
action.
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