Govt panel proposes ‘exemplary penalties’ for husband proxies running panchayats

The report was submitted recently and the ministry is now planning to take measures to implement the committee’s recommendations, which include policy interventions and structural reform.

Initiatives such as gender-exclusive quotas in some panchayat subject committees and ward-level committees (like Kerala); an annual award for Anti-Pradhan Pati champions; appointing women’s ombudspersons; public swearing-in of women pradhans in Gram Sabhas; creating federation of women panchayat leaders; and setting up gender resource centres that serve as hubs for leadership training, legal advice, and support networks were also recommended.

The committee also suggested technological solutions like virtual reality simulation training, integrating AI-powered query-driven replies to provide real-time legal and governance guidance to WERs [Women Elected Representatives] in vernacular languages, creating WhatsApp groups of WERs linked with panchayat and block officials to help resolve day-to-day problems, and using the ministry’s Panchayat Nirnay Portal to allow citizens to track elected pradhans’ participation in meetings and decisions, fostering public accountability and discouraging proxy leadership, etc.

India has about 2.63 lakh panchayats in all three tiers – Gram Panchayat (at village level), Panchayat Samiti (at block level) and Zila Parishad (at district level) – with 32.29 lakh elected representatives, of which 15.03 lakh (46.6 per cent) are women. While the ratio of WERs among panchayat officials has increased significantly, their effective participation in the decision-making process is still very low. The culture of ‘Pradhan Pati’, Sarpanch Pati or Mukhiya Pati is more prevalent in northern states, particularly Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana and Rajasthan, a ministry official said.

The MoPR had constituted the ‘advisory committee to examine the issue of women pradhans being represented by the male members of their families and also examine other issues related thereto’ on September 19, 2023. This was a follow-up to a Supreme Court order of July 6, 2023.

“Based on the research of available literature and extensive consultations with the state governments and knowledge gained from the interactions of four regional workshops involving 14 states, this committee identified steps to address the issue of eradicating the practice of proxy participation of spouses and other male relatives of WERs,” according to the ministry.

The committee has suggested capacity building and training initiatives focusing on continuous and mandatory training in vernacular languages, collaboration with IIMS, IITs/NITs, involvement of international development agencies and women MLAs/MPs to leadership training to women pradhans etc.

It also suggested accountability and oversight mechanisms, which include helplines and women watchdog committees for confidential complaints about proxy leadership, with whistleblower rewards in verified cases.