Book review: Susheela Kaushik, Panchyati Raj in Action: Challenges to Women’s Role
| Published date | 01 September 2023 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/00195561231166368 |
| Author | Vivek Kumar |
| Date | 01 September 2023 |
724Book Reviews
Susheela Kaushik, Panchyati Raj in Action: Challenges to Women’s Role.
FES Publication, 1995, `1,199. ISBN: 81-440-016-8.
DOI: 10.1177/00195561231166368
Village communities have been in existence in India for over centuries. According
to the UN, women constitute nearly 50% of the population of the world, but when
it comes to their representation in political positions in the government, they
account for only less than 10%. The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, endow-
ing PRIs with constitutional status, constitute a significant landmark in the evolu-
tion of grassroots democratic institutions in India. There was also opposition to
the reservation of seats for women, particularly for chairpersons’ positions.
Viewing these as positions with authority, power and status and as the sources for
making some extra money, the males and the political parties were very reluctant
to give these up for women. Not merely would the women not be inclined to the
ways of making money, they will also be difficult to be manipulated, particularly
in the social context of the male–female divide.
The author has done an in-depth study of Panchayati Raj in action and chal-
lenges to women’s role. The book has four chapters, an informative introduction
about participation of women in Panchayati Raj and challenges to women’s role.
The rst chapter explains the 73rd Amendment Act and its provisions as regards
Panchayati Raj. This chapter discusses the term, the structure, the way of elections,
the nancial powers of PRIs, reservations given to different categories, provisions
or Amendment made by state legislation, provisions regarding the standing committee
and the procedure of removal of chairpersons or vice-chairpersons in PRIs.
The second chapter discusses the process of decentralisation and local develop-
ment in Panchayati Raj and government monitoring and control over PRIs and the
relationship between bureaucracy and local governance as well as the hierarchy
among politicians. Earlier when the Pradhans and Sarpanches of the villages had,
by and large, become indifferent and non-functional, the higher authorities like
Collectors, Block Presidents, BDOs and other ofcials demanded grants for village
development, succumbed to them. Their attitude towards the villagers as poor, illit-
erate, backward, traditional, superstitious and incapable of governing or administer-
ing themselves has not changed. In Karnataka, the bureaucracy has the power to
control and monitor the Panchayati Raj, same as in Haryana; the Panchayat director
becomes an important authority and his order cannot be questioned in the court of
law, while in Kerala the situation is even worse: the bureaucracy scrutinises all the
Acts of Panchayats. Further in Andhra Pradesh, the ofcials can overrule any reso-
lution passed by the Panchayats.
The third chapter discusses the elections in Panchayati Raj Institutions, that is,
the process of election in PRIs in the states of Punjab, Karnataka, Haryana,
Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tripura, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Odisha,
Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh, highlights the role of violence, bloodshed and
large-scale booth-capturing and casteism in Panchayat polls. In Haryana, there
was much violence, excessive consumption of alcohol and feasting by male
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