73rd and 74th CAA are the embodiment of grass-root democracy and democratic decentralization in India.
Positive Impact on Women’s Political Participation
Increased Representation- Over 14 lakh women representatives currently serve in local bodies (MoPR, 2024).
Leadership Development- Eg- Sulata Deo started her career as Sarpanch and became MP from Odisha
Enhanced Service Delivery- Women-led Panchayats prioritize water, sanitation, education, and health issues. Eg- Chhavi Rajawat (Rajasthan)
Social Change Catalysts by challenging gender stereotypes in public decision-making.
Women leaders have strengthened Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and livelihood initiatives, promoting inclusive development. Eg- Bina Devi (“Mushroom Mahila”)
Persistent Patriarchal Barriers in Women’s Political Participation at the Local Level
Political Barriers
Proxy Representation- The “Sarpanch Pati” phenomenon – husbands or male relatives exercise real power.
Political parties rarely nominate women beyond the mandated quota, restricting vertical mobility in politics.
Tokenism- Representation often confined to fulfilling quotas rather than genuine empowerment or participation in governance.
Institutional Barriers
Institutional and Bureaucratic Dominance undermine elected women’s authority, especially in resource allocation and project execution.
Limited Decision-Making Power- exclusion from key committees or budgetary discussions.
Economic Barriers
Economic Dependence on male family members limits independence in political and developmental decisions.
Social barriers
Women representatives face verbal abuse, threats, and social ostracism, especially when asserting authority.
Cultural and Social Norms- restrict women’s mobility and participation in public life. Eg- purdah system.
Lack of education and political training weakens women’s administrative confidence and negotiation skills.
Intersectional Barriers- Women from SC/ST and minority communities face additional layer of discrimination.
Way Forward
Mandate political parties to allot a fixed percentage of tickets to women beyond local bodies to ensure vertical mobility in politics.
Mentorship and role model initiatives led by successful women sarpanchs to inspire grassroots participation.
Capacity Building– Establish State Institutes of Rural Development (SIRDs) as nodal agencies for PRI training.
Manishankar Aiyar Committee recommendations.
Create Panchayat Ombudsman for grievance redressal.
Adopt activity mapping for clear delineation of 3Fs – Funds, Functions, Functionaries.
“I measure the progress of a community by the degree of progress which women have achieved.” – Ambedkar
True empowerment lies in transforming participation into power, ensuring women are policy-shapers, not placeholders.