New Delhi: A government panel has recommended evolving a mix of monitoring and oversight mechanisms, rewarding ‘anti-pradhan pati champions’, and “exemplary penalties” to combat proxy participation of male relatives of elected women representatives in panchayats.
The ‘sarpanch pati’ or ‘pradhan pati’ system is a practice in which the husband or a male relative of an elected woman panchayat representative wields the actual power.
An advisory committee under the chairmanship of retired IAS officer Sushil Kumar recently submitted a report to the Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj in which it suggested forming WhatsApp groups of women elected representatives and direct mentorship of women pradhans by MLAs and MPs, a ministry source said.
The ministry constituted the committee in October 2023 to examine and address issues related to proxy participation and empowerment of women as genuine grassroots leaders in compliance with the Supreme Court’s advice.
Even as participation of women in political activities has grown significantly with seat reservation in Panchayati Raj Institutions, they face various socio-cultural factors influencing gender roles such as lack of awareness, experience, knowledge, skills, leadership quality, low level of education and exposure.
Gender roles, academic disparities and inadequate capacities, caste and class dynamics, social resistance, lack of cooperation from sectoral departments, as well as dominance of political and gender digital divide are among the socio-cultural factors that lead to the practice, the panel observed.
Suggesting strategies to combat the ‘sarpanch pati’ or the ‘pradhan pati’ system, the committee has recommended “exemplary penalties should be enforced for proven cases of proxy leadership, deterring male relatives’ interference”.
It called for policy interventions and structural reforms, including initiatives such as gender-exclusive quotas in some panchayat subject committees, ward-level committees; appointing women’s ombudspersons; setting up a federation of women panchayat leaders, and gender resource centres to serve as hubs for leadership training, legal advice and support networks.
The panel suggested in the report annual awards be given to ‘anti-pradhan pati champions’, and national awards for exceptional women leaders on Republic Day that might inspire grassroots leadership and create role models.
Technological solutions using interventions such as virtual reality simulation training; integrating AI-powered query-driven replies to provide real-time legal and governance guidance to women representatives in vernacular languages, and WhatsApp groups of women elected representatives may be created and linked with panchayat and block officials to help solve day-to-day problems were also suggested.