Women rise in Himachal panchayat politics - Shimla Now

Legislation introduced by the Himachal Pradesh assembly in 2008 to improve women's participation in local body elections has started to bear fruit. In the first phase of elections to panchayati raj institutions in the state on January 1, women were elected as pradhans in 348 of the 742 panchayats that went to elections.
However, that is not the only change in grassroots politics of Himachal Pradesh in these panchayat elections. Women, apart from contesting from the 50% seats for them, are giving a tough fight to men in panchayats not reserved for them. The largest number of women pradhans has been elected in Mandi district, where 74 women have been elected to power in the 160 panchayats whose election results have been announced so far.
Even as women have started to be more visibile in panchay elections, their representation in the state assembly continues to be dismal. Of the 68 MLAs in the state, only three are women, including Vidya Stokes and Asha Kumari of Congress and Sarveen Chaudhary of BJP. All four Lok Sabha seats are represented by men.
According to the study 'Women in the Politics of Himachal Pradesh', published in Himachal Pradesh University Journal in 2011, 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment Acts (1993), which reserved 33% seats in panchati raj bodies for women, are a revolutionary landmark in the history of women's participation in politics in India. Himachal Pradesh assembly passing the Himachal Pradesh Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Bill on April 8, 2008, further raised the reservation limit for women in PRIs, or panchayati raj institutions, from 33% to 50% and has further helped the cause.
In these panchayat elections, of the panchayats in 70 Kullu district, women presidents will be heading 22 panchayats. In Bilaspur district, of 51 panchayats, women presidents have won in 29 panchayats. In Hamirpur district, women have won in 31 of 63 panchayats.

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In Chamba district, 80 panchayats where results have been announced, women presidents have won in 40 panchayats, while in Una district, out of 80 panchayats, women presidents have won in 44. In Solan district, 24 women have won from 71 panchayats.

In Sirmaur districtm out of 78 panchayats, women have won in 39 panchayats. In Shimla district, women presidents have already won elections in 42 panchayats.
In two panchayats of Jubbal tehsil in Shimla district, women have won from open panchayats defeating their male rivals. At Shong panchayat of Kinnaur district, a woman has emerged victorious from open panchayat.

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The largest number of women pradhans has been elected in Mandi district, where 74 women have been elected to power in the 160 panchayats whose results have been announced so far.

Courtesy:TOI