Political Participation and Leadership of Scheduled Caste Women in Panchayati Raj Institutions

In India, the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes are officially designated groups of people and among the most disadvantaged socio-economic groups. Even after 77th years of Independence, these people are living a life of isolation and oppression due to extreme social norms, age-old practice of untouchability, lack of infrastructure facilities, geographical isolation, and there is a need of special consideration for safeguarding their interests and for accelerating their socio-economic development. Scheduled Caste women among them in India have been the worst sufferers as they bear the “triple burden of caste, class and gender. To improve the political status of women, reservation up to 33 percent has been given to women through the 73rd constitutional amendment under the Panchayati Raj system. Now, 21 States and 2 Union Territories have gone even further and have made provisions of 50% reservation for women in Panchayati Raj Institutions in their respective State Panchayati Raj Acts/Rules. Apart from this, the main factors that have brought mobility in the status of women are the freedom of education, women’s welfare programs and policies, communication means and globalization, as a result of which the status of women has been strengthened. The educational, economic, political and social situation of women has improved.