Participation of Women in Politics: A Study of Local Councils and State Legislature
| Author | Lalchatuanthangi |
| Date | 01 July 2016 |
| DOI | 10.1177/0019556120160325 |
| Published date | 01 July 2016 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN IN POLITICS:
A STUDY
OF
LOCAL COUNCILS AND STATE
LEGISLATURE
LALCHATUANTHANGI
Under the Sixth Schedule, the Lushai Hills District Council
and
Pawi-Lakher Regional Council (PLRC) were created on April
25, 1952,
and
April 23, 1953, respectively. The Lushai Hill
District (Chieftains hip Abolition) Act, 19
52,
was
passed
by
the
Assam Legislative Assembly on January
1,
1953. According to
the Act, all the existing Chiefs as on April 2
5,
19 5
2,
within the
Lushai Hill District were to be abolished. With the formation
of
the District Council the whole administrative set-up
of
the
Lushai Hills was changed enabling the people to participate
in the formation
of
the Government through adult franchise.
Chieftainship was replaced by the Village Councils with much
reduced powers. In 2014, the Lushai Hills District (Village
Councils) Amendment
Act
was passed; this amendment changed
the term
of
the Village Council member from three years to
jive
years. Moreover, reservation
of
seats
for
women in the Village
Council was also enacted
by
amending the Act. This article,
traces the historical development
of
women
~participation
in
politics, especially
in
Village
Councils
in
Mizoram.
POLITICS IS essentially an art
of
acquiring and exercising power -the
power to effectively influence the decision making processes and policies,
to reverse the existing situation wherever they are disadvantageous, and to
bring about the necessary social changes. A participation in this exercise
of
power
is
very much a necessity, particularly for the disadvantaged groups,
e.g. the women. Participation in politics is a prerequisite and minimal
requirement for successful democratic political system. Participation
of
women in the formal political institutions
is
required for influencing the
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