Section Article

Women in Local Politics: Navigating Patriarchy through Panchayati Raj
Author(s): Harpreet Singh

Abstract
The implementation of the 73rd Constitutional Amendment in India in 1992 marked a watershed moment for democratic decentralization mandating the inclusion of women in local self-governance through the Panchayati Raj system. While reservation policies have significantly increased the numerical presence of women in panchayats their actual participation in decision-making remains constrained by deeply rooted patriarchal structures. This paper investigates how women in local politics navigate negotiate and sometimes resist patriarchy within the institutional framework of Panchayati Raj. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork and interviews with women panchayat leaders family members and community stakeholders in Uttar Pradesh Rajasthan and Odisha the study reveals a complex spectrum of agency—from tokenism and proxy representation to subversive leadership and gradual transformation. The findings suggest that while structural and cultural barriers persist Panchayati Raj institutions have become critical arenas of contestation enabling women to reshape gender norms assert political identity and redefine grassroots governance from within the folds of patriarchy.