A study of Women Empowerment in Haryana with Reference to Haryana Panchayati Raj Elections, 2016

Present study is descriptive and analytical in nature which aims to examine the social background and representation of women at all three levels of PRIs in Haryana in the light of 73rd constitutional amendment and Haryana Panchayati Raj Act amendment of 2016. The secondary data has been analyzed which indicates that the representation of women has not been limited to one third of the total seats in PRIs as it is about 8-9% higher than that.The data shows that the women secured 42.18% representation asPanches, 41.46% representation asSarpanches, 41.97% representation in Panchayat Samiti and 43.50% representation in ZilaParishad. Earlier the women was able to secure near about one third or somewhat more. The provision regarding the condition of education has also contributed to increase their representation in PRIs. Social background wise, 27.62% women representatives are from SC category, 11.05% BC and 61.33% from general category. The women representative of young age i.e. on average 31.8 years are there at present at all the three levels in the PRIs.The legal measures seem to achieve their spirit of women’s participation in decision making at grassroots level local bodies as 76.34% of the women representatives are educated up to matric & above.