Participation of Women in Panchayat Raj Institution: A Block Level Study of West Bengal

Abstract

The West Bengal government passed amendment to the panchayat law introducing one third reservations for women, including Schedule Cast/Schedule Tribe (SC/ST) women, at all three tiers of the panchayati raj system. The first election with such reservation was held in year 1993. The present paper is an attempt to look into the women’s participation in Panchayati Raj Institution. The main objective is to study how women members are able to and to what extent occupy seats of Panchayat Raj Institution. It also examines the position of lower class women in Panchayat Raj Institution. The study is based on results of various panchayati level elections in West Bengal and primary evidences collected from women pradhans and deputy pradhans in various gram panchayats of Haldibari block of Coochbehar district (as per 2008 election).The study reveals that political participation of women has increased in village panchayat level and extent of participation of SC women has been more than 33%. Out of 62 gram panchayats seats, 24 (38.70%) are won by female members. Out of 24 female members 18 members (75 %) come from SC community. In Permeckliganj and Uttar Bara Haldibari gram panchayat all women members are from SC community. So the study revealed that women belong to lower class community have greater chance in decision making process.