MINISTER OF PANCHAYATI RAJ (SHRI V. KISHORE CHANDRA DEO)
(a): Yes, Madam. The States which have provided for 50% reservation for women in Panchayats
are Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh,
Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tripura and Uttarakhand.
(b) to (d): In order to enhance the reservation for women in Panchayats from existing one
third to not less than one half, a Constitution Amendment Bill was introduced in Lok Sabha in
November 2009. This Bill was referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development
by Honâble Speaker. The Report of the Standing Committee was considered by the Government and
keeping in view their recommendations, an Official Amendment has been formulated to the Original
Amendment Bill, to make the reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes proportionate
to their rural population.
(e) to (g): The Constitution has provided for reservation of not less than one third seats and
offices of Chairpersons of Panchayati Raj Institutions(PRIs) for women. As such, the Elected Women
Representatives (EWRs) are not mere proxy for male relatives but statutorily empowered to hold seats
and offices in PRIs. Though no survey has been got conducted in this regard by this Ministry,
instructions have been issued to all States that it is the responsibility of the Panchayat
Officers/Secretaries not to allow the relatives to attend Panchayat meetings by proxy. It has
also been conveyed to them that Officers/Secretaries who allow relatives to attend instead of
office bearers are also equally guilty of allowing such interference and the defaulting
Officers/Secretaries should be proceeded against departmentally.