ISBN 976-41a318e/04

PUSI TUTE O

"Two Decades of 73 Constitutional Amendment:

Experiences, Issues and Challenges"

ATIO

BLIC

"Two Decades of 73rd Constitutional Amendment:

Experiences, Issues and Challenges"

Editor

Dr.Abhijit Anilrao Pilkhane

INDEX *nnnneeee AUlNOr ........ ************************s* Page

eoe**ssssssease*s. .No. Chapter Titie.. ********** ***** **** ****

No. ***************************** *****

.. Krishna Bhoge . ... 0T ***************** . Chapter 011 Two Decades Of 73 Amendment To The Constitution. ******"

Objective Evaluation Of Its Success And Failure

Chapter 02 "73rd Constitutional Amendment & Need Of The Pesa Act 1996.". ... Dr.Sham Kadam . .. ************.. 3

Mr.Rohit Bhaskar Jadhav *****************************************

Chapter 03 73T Constitutional Amendment Act In The Context Or Gram Sabha. Dr. Jitendra Wasnik ******** ****. U7

Chapter 04 Political Participation Of Women In Panchayat Raj. Basani Lavanya ... ***************

****

Institutions A Study 17 Chapter 05 Political Participation Of Women In. Ajmeera Shankar . **** ...

********** ************** .

Panchayati Raj The Gandhian Paradigm - A Study

Two Decades Of 73 Constitutional Amendment:.

Experiences,Issues And Challenges. Sub Theme-

"Responses of The States To 73 Constitutional- Amendment".

73 Constitution Amendment And Women Reservation.

Chapter 06 . Dr.Rajesh Bhika Patil .. ********.* T

Chapter 07 .Dr.V.M.Mahure,. 24 ********** *.4 ...

Chapter 08 Women's Participation In Panchayati Raj lnstitutions.. raveen Ghodeswa ************ ****

Chapter 09 Local Democratic Institutions And District Planning. ... Mr.Bainade Bhagwansing M. ..32 ***********************

Chapter 10 58 Gramsabha And Empowerment of Grassroots Institution. ... Adv. Sk. Mahemood Sk. Nabi .. 34 *******

Chapter 11 03 EAI Zr - g7 recta . .... AT.3*. TTHTÍ TTA. .36 Chapter 12 ** ************************

Chapter 13 ST. YUITRIG YIRDR .. .42 ***************************

Chapter 14 ************************************** T. JtuT ATCY I661.....44

Chapter 15 ... T. EAT YsR/}TTis... ...47

Chapter 16 . .ET. foAT iT... ********.*******.

Chapter 17 .si. aTR. i. d.. **************vU ****°**********************°*

Chapter 18 *******.******. ***********'****

Chapter 19 59 ********************************* *** **********************

********.e********.********.********.*.. *******************************

Chapter 20 *********°*°******.****** T. MTAT HTHd-ITAc5Ais..... 62

Chapter 21 TarYTRI:THF HER.. 6/

Chapter 22 ************.***s*********************** ./0

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Chapter 23 ******* ******.****. *************

***************.*************

Chapter 24 .AT.BT. 3ITV.à TrA.

Chapter 25 *********** ******** ****. r**

(FTOTRTw ) Chapter 26

*******.******* 3T,T.YF. fYT6 ... O- ***************°*

Chapter 27 T. FA 3.gas

*****************.** ...T. TTau .

********************** ******.* -

Chapter 28 *****************

Chapter 29 *****au************************************* 3T. DTfOGI 5... *****i *-

Chapter 30 ********************************************** ....3Í,TRA N.. ****.****************

Chapter 31 93 IGET TTT fgT HHeRT ***** ds************************* EL.T.HTVSA YHSÍ.. ********************************************** . * . ... T.SÍ.HaTE . a ....

Women's Participation in Panchayati Raj Institutions

PRAVEEN GHODESWAR,

Assistant Professor,

School of Humanities and Social Sciences

Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University, Nashik- 42222

mittee of the Parliament under the chairpersonship m

of PK Thungon also recommended a constitu f

tional status for Panchayti Raj institutions. Sim, s-

larly, a Congress Committee headed by VN Gadg

in 1989 recommended a three-tier system, a fixed t

term of 5 years and reservation for SC/STs and

women. It was against the backdrop of these rec

ommendations by various committees and com

missions that the Constitution (64") Bill Wa

drafted.

Abstract

After more than six decades of planning in India

women are far below their male counterparts be-

cause they have not been involved as participa- tors and decision makers in development. The 73

Constitution Amendment Act enables women to

take decision in the area of their concern as well

as total development of rural area. This amend-

ment has made a provision that at least one-third

of women would be members and chairpersons

of Rajiv Gandhi was the first top leader of thena

tion who realized the importance of women in

politics and development. Being young and hay

ing heard of UN led national and international

movements for women empowerment and slogan

the panachayats at three levels

viz.,Grampanchayat level, Panchayat Samiti level

and District Council level. These women also in-

clude from schedule caste and scheduled tribe

STgniicance of the women's participation process like Women in Development (WID) and Women

in the Panchayati Raj Institutions.

Introduction:

communities. This paper attempts to look into the

and Development (WAD), he gave the larges

number of tickets to women in the 1985 election

The institution of Panchayati Raj is recognized to the Parliament and State Assemblies. These

as an mportant mechanism for decentralization elections were the ones in which the largest nun

ber of the women became representatives in the of power and community participation in devel

opment activities. It has received the special em- Parliamentary and State Assemblies. Before him

phasis after 73d constitutional amendment which Congress had never bothered about bringing women into politics in a major way. Pt. Nehu

had always opposed any reservations for women

even before independence. Indira Gandhi was also not seriously considered political role of women through reservations. It was Rajiv Gandhi who was a truly gender sensitive politician and con- ceived the idea of a 33% of reservation for women He felt that he could implement his idea at least at the panchayat level where politics is highly male dominated. Unfortunately, he died and it was ony after his death that the 73d and 74th Constitutional Amendment took place. The 73rd Constitutionl Amendment has given new status and significance

made the democracy and transfer of power to the

most basic document of our country i.e. The Con- stitution of India. Before this amendment, the

Panchayati Raj system in India was not very ef-

fective. Its power was limited. The institution it-

self could be dissolved by thre district authori ties. The elections to the Panchayats were not regu- lar. At the same time a number of committees and commissions were established from time to time to study the problems related to the functioning of the Panchayati Raj. Balwantrai Mehta Com-

mittee, Ashok Mehta Committee and GVK Rao

Committee, these are the some committees to name. Subsequently, the LM Singhvi Committee was set up in 1986 which attached great impor- Salient Features of the 73 Constitutional tance to the Gramsabha. The Sarkaria Commis-sion of 1988 which was primarily concerned with the Centre-State relationship also recommended regular elections and strengthening of Pnachayats both financially and functionally. By the end of 1988 a sub-committee of the Consultative Com-

to the Panchayati Raj Institutions.

Amendment This Amendment of the Constitution is know the Constitution (Seventy Third Amendment) At 1992. This act was brought into force by a no cation dated 24th April, 1993. It has followne Salient Features:

"Two Decades of 73rd Constitutional Amendment: Experiences, Issues and Challenges