New Delhi, August 27
In a move that would significantly empower women at the grassroots level, the Union Cabinet today approved a proposal to increase quote for them in panchayats to 50 per cent.

A bill to this effect is likely to be introduced in the winter session of the Parliament. “The Cabinet has approved the amendment of Article 243 D of the Constitution to reserve 50 per cent of the total number of seats in panchayats for women,” Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni told reporters here after the Cabinet meeting which was chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

A bill to reserve 33 per cent seats for women in Parliament and state assemblies is pending in Parliament and could not be passed because of opposition from several regional parties.

President Pratibha Devi Singh Patil in her address to the joint session of Parliament on June 4 last had mentioned the intent to provide 50 per cent reservation for women in panchayats as women suffer multiple deprivations of class, caste and gender. Enhancing reservation in panchayats will lead to more women entering the public sphere, the government said.

According to article 243 G of the Constitution, state legislatures may endow panchayats with such powers and authoritiy as may be necessary to enable them to function as units of local self-governemnt (LSG), and to prepare and implement plans or schemes for economic development and social justice including those in relation to matters listed in the Eleventh Schedule of the Constitution.

Panchayats as such have a vital role to play in the welfare and development of the weaker sections of the society, partcularly women, SCs and STs. Greater representation of these sections would enhance their voice in these bodies and promote inclusive governance which is critical to the inclusive growth, government said. Ministry of Panchayati Raj will move a Bill for amendment to Article 243 D of the Constitution at the earliest after approval of the Cabinet. The proposed amendment will increase reservation for women in the total number of seats to be filled by direct election, offices of chairpersons and in seats and offices of the chairpersons reserved for SCs and STs, to 50 per cent in all tiers of Panchayats.

At present, out of the total elected representatives of panchayats numbering approximately 28.18 lakh, 36.87 per cent are women. With the proposed Constitutional amendment, the number of elected women representatives is expected to rise to more than 14 lakh. It would cover all states and UTs but will not apply to Nagaland, Meghalaya and Mizoram, tribal areas of Assam, Tripura and hill the areas of Manipur.