The Haryana government is gearing up to introduce a fresh bill that will ensure an equitable 50:50 reservation in Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) for men and women candidates. Furthermore, this bill necessitates the rotation of seats between male and female representatives following each term.
Pivotal aspects of the new policy
An interesting facet of this proposed bill is the odd-even formula that will be used to conduct panchayat polls. This will be employed for sarpanches and members of village wards, block samitis, and zila parishads. The primary advantage of this system is that it guarantees equal opportunities for men and women. Moreover, women from every constituency will have a fair chance with regard to reservation.
Reservation policy limitations and possible solutions
A key drawback relates to the concept of reserving seats for only one term and rotating the reserved seats and posts of chairperson. This could potentially obstruct the growth of leadership skills among female representatives as it often takes time for them to understand how to manage and negotiate various conflicting interests within the panchayat. To counteract this issue, states like Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha and Karnataka have brought in measures allowing for two term reservation of seats at PRIs.
The Haryana Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Act, 2015
Haryana has previously brought into effect the Haryana Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Act, 2015 which sets the eligibility criteria to run for Panchayat elections in the state. This includes certain disqualifications like non-completion of minimum educational criteria, non-payment of cooperative bank arrears and electricity bills, and not owning a functional toilet.
Constitutional provisions for women representation in PRIs
The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 requires a reservation of 33.3% for women in PRIs across the country. Many states have raised this percentage to 50%. In total, out of the 30.41 lakh elected PRI representatives, 13.74 lakh (or 45.2%) are women.
Challenges faced by women in PRIs
Despite these provisions, women continue to face challenges in PRIs. These include social hindrances like patriarchy, household responsibilities, and violent opposition. Many also lack the necessary skills or knowledge to handle the affairs of panchayats due to lack of exposure and training. Finally, pre-existing caste hierarchies and the presence of restrictive laws like the two child norm often pose additional roadblocks.
Efforts to promote women participation in PRIs
The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has initiated multiple schemes aimed at capacity building of women representatives in PRIs. One such scheme is the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan, launched in 2018 with the aim of developing the capacities of PRIs to become more responsive to local development needs. Other initiatives include the Panchayat Mahila Evam Yuva Shakti Abhiyan and the Gram Panchayat Development Plan, both of which emphasise on proactively involving women in various aspects of PRIs.
Looking ahead: improving gender representation in PRIs
With increasing emphasis on gender equality, the Haryana government’s proposal to provide equal representation for men and women in PRIs is indeed a welcome step. However, to further improve women participation in PRIs, governments must also invest in gender sensitization of male elected representatives and functionaries of PRIs. Partnerships with civil society organisations, women’s groups, academic institutions and international organizations like UN Women are also key.