(a) whether the Government have sent some directives to States for giving 33% reservation to women in Gram Panchayats;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) the details of the States that have given this reservation to women;
(d) whether the Government have received reports that Panchayats are being attended by persons other than the elected women; and
(e) if so, the facts in this regard State-wise?
MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SHRI SUNDAR LAL PATWA)
(a)&(b): As per Article 243-D of the Constitution of India, not less than one-third
of the total number of seats of Panchayats are reserved for women. As such, no separate directivess to States are required.
(c): Barring States such as Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland where 73rd Amendment Act is not applicable, Jammu & Kashmir to which this Act has not been extended and National Capital Territory of Delhi, all State/UT Panchayati Raj Acts have provision for reservation for women in Panchayats.
(d)&(e): There were some isolated reports in this behalf (mainly from Uttar Pradesh) for which the State Government have taken corrective steps.. The Government of India also wrote to all State/UT Governments to issue necessary guidelines to Panchayats at all levels to ensure that women members of Panchayati Raj Institutions are figure-heads/proxies and other persons do not attend meetings in their stead.