POLITICAL PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN IN GRAM PANCHAYAT ELECTIONS IN ODISHA: A CASE STUDY OF HINDOL BLOCK IN DHENKANAL DISTRICT Artatrana Gochhayat Assistant Professor of Political Science, Sree Chaitanya College, Habra, West Bengal, India E-mail: [email protected] ABSTRACT The present study attempted to learn the CONCEPT OF POLITICAL PARTICIPATION extent of the political participation of women in the functioning as well as the electoral process Generally, the term “political participation” of panchayats and their problems. The study refers to those voluntary activities by which was conducted in March/April immediately members of a society share in the selection of after the general panchayat elections in rulers and directly or indirectly in the formation February 2012, using a sample of 125 women of public policy. These activities include respondents from five gram panchayats of casting votes, seeking information, holding Hindol Block in Dhenkanal District of Odisha. discussions, attending meetings, staging The findings revealed that the political strikes and demonstrations, communicating participation of women in the functioning and with legislators and the like. According to the electoral process of panchayats is not Herbert McClosky, “Participation is the satisfactory. Some do not even know the principal means by which consent is granted names of the political parties and they cast or withdrawn in a democracy and the rulers their votes by identifying the symbols of the are made accountable to the ruled.”2 As political parties. Most of the women have a Noorjahan Bava puts it, “direct and indirect great apathy towards politics. A parochial participation of citizens in public affairs is the culture, patriarchal society and low level of lifeline of a participatory democracy”.3 education are responsible for their backwardness. Subordination of women to men in the home, the work place and in politics is a dominant INTRODUCTION socio-political reality that has its origin in the A developing democracy like India needs the past. The relationship between men and wider participation of people irrespective of women was “grounded on force” and the law caste, colour, creed and sex. In order to of the strongest has been the phenomenon in provide this opportunity, the system of their relationship. The notion that men are the democratic decentralization through natural masters of women has continued to Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) was hinder the evolution of an egalitarian society introduced. As women constitute a sizeable where women enjoy equal status. 4 portion of the total population, their participation in grass roots politics is essential PAST RESEARCH to make democratic governance successful. The available literature on the political The question of their participation arises participation of women in PRIs indicates that because of their long standing neglected women including those women who are social status in male-dominated Indian society. elected representatives are mere instruments in the hands of their male counterparts. R.Arun In Odisha, women constitute a little less than (1997) 7 in a case study of Madhya Pradesh 50% of the state’s total population. Their found that in most cases women socio-economic status is, however, relatively representatives are housewives, first time low and they are discriminated against in all entrants into politics and illiterate or educated walks of life. For centuries, women have been only up to primary level. G.Palanithuri (1997)8 confined to the home, suppressed and in his case study of Tamil Nadu reported that deprived of their right to get fair treatment from women were not reported or invited to the male-dominated society. The development meetings in the male-headed Gram of women has, therefore, been one of the Panchayat. S.Pai (2001) 9 in her field notes in major issues in Odisha.1 Meerut District found that Pradhanis in International Journal of Rural vol. 20 no. 2 Oct 2013 Studies (IJRS) ISSN 1023–2001 www.vri-online.org.uk/ijrs Article 5 Page 1 of 7 Panchayats were illiterate and only able to put · To find out the factors which overtly or their signatures on official papers. S.Panda covertly tend to promote or prevent (1996)10 in her study of village panchayats in women members from performing Orissa found that women entered into politics their roles. due to the mandatory provision of reservation or pressure from their family members or METHODOLOGY AND SAMPLE pressure from their village community. COVERAGE Manikymba (1990)11 in her study of Andhra The present study is mostly based on Pradesh found that socio-economic empirical methods. Schedules were employed background in general and political to collect data from the sample respondents. I background in particular are important also conducted personal interviews with the determinants shaping the nature and level of women respondents. Stratified random participation of women in political institutions. sampling was applied in order to select the Dr. Sing (2004)12 presents the findings of an gram panchayats. Data were collected from empirical study of elected women secondary sources like census reports, representatives of the PRIs of Haryana government documents, gazetteers, district exploring the extent of their empowerment as handbooks and other published literature. a result of the implementation of the 73rd Amendment Act. Dr.Bharti (2011)13 explains As it is impossible to study the political that before the 73rd Amendment came into participation of all the women of Orissa, I force, the Government of Orissa had adopted selected only one block, i.e., Hindol Block in some important provisions such as the Dhenkanal District where there are 36 Gram reservation of women, SCs and STs in its Panchayats (GPs). Out of 36 GPs, 5 GPs i.e. existing Panchayati Raj Acts. Kaul and Sahni Baunshpokhari, Kantamila, Hatura, Gulehi and (2009)14 explore the extent of political Karanda were selected on a random basis. participation of women elected representatives From these 5 GPs, I selected 125 sample in Panchayats and the problems faced by respondents, 25 sample respondents from them in two districts of Jammu and Kathua. each GP. Here, a random sampling method Patnaik (2005)15 explores the extent of was adopted for the selection of sample participation of elected representatives respondents. belonging to weaker sections in the functioning of four gram panchayats in Orissa’s CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS AND Dhenkanal district. POLICIES FOR WOMEN The following plans and constitutional However, my study tries to highlight the provisions have been provided to women in awareness, interest and involvement of order to make them equal with their male women in the Panchayat administration and counterparts. The Preamble of Indian election. Constitution recognizes the principles of social, economic and political justice to all its OBJECTIVES citizens and also equality of status and of The chief objectives of this study were: opportunity and to promote among them all. The Fundamental Rights as guaranteed by the · To know how far and to what extent Constitution (Part III, Articles 12-35) tries to rural women participate in different remove the inequalities which Indian women spheres of activities ranging from have suffered. Some guidelines are also given decision-making to exercising the right in the Directive Principles of State Policy (Part- to vote in the gram panchayat IV, Articles. 36-51) which are non-justiciable. · To explore the awareness, interest, Article 51(e) (Fundamental Duties, Part IVA and involvement of women in Gram 42nd Amendment Act, 1976) directs the state Panchayat elections to promote harmony and the spirit of common · To know the leadership qualities of brotherhood amongst all the people of India women and to renounce practices derogatory to the · To assess the perception of women dignity of women. about the panchayat system in rd th general and their role in particular The 73 and 74 Constitutional Amendment Acts (1992) facilitate women’s participation in International Journal of Rural vol. 20 no. 2 Oct 2013 Studies (IJRS) ISSN 1023–2001 www.vri-online.org.uk/ijrs Article 5 Page 2 of 7 the Panchayat Raj system. The 84th and 85th given 30% reservation in the three-tier PRIs in Amendment to the Constitution will also expect Odisha prior to the implementation of 73rd one-third of the total number of seats in the Amendment Act. Lok Sabha and state assemblies to be reserved for women including those from the At present, Odisha has a three-tier system of Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes. rural local self-government, the first tier being All the Five Year Plans have given importance at the village level i.e. Gram Panchayat, the to the development of women, with a major second tier at the Block level i.e. Panchayat objective of raising their economic and social Samiti and the third at the district level i.e. Zilla status. Despite all such constitutional Parishad and 50% of seats for women have provisions and plans, there has been no been reserved in all the tiers. The present satisfactory development in their social status. Panchayati Raj structure of Odisha includes 30 Zilla Parishads with 854 elected Zilla RURAL LOCAL GOVERNANCE IN ODISHA Parishad members, 314 Panchayat Samitis AND WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION with 6,235 elected Panchayat Samiti Odisha is one of the pioneering states in the members, 6,236 Gram Panchayats including field of Panchayati Raj initiatives in India. Soon 6,236 elected Sarpanches and 87,551 elected after independence, the Government of Ward Members out of which 46,643 Women Odisha enacted the Orissa Gram Panchayat Ward Members constitute the rural local Act in 1948. After that, the Panchayat Samiti governance system. Thus, in Odisha now and Zilla Parishad Act, 1959 was enacted and there is a total of 100,876 elected executed on 26th January 1961 in Odisha. representatives in the three-tier rural local self When Biju Patnaik became Chief Minister governance system out of which 50% women during the sixties, he made concrete efforts to are elected members, underlining the realize the Panchayati Raj system.