Study conducted in Samastīpur District of Bihar, India.

With reference to Sitapur District, India.

Panchayats are local governments mandated in the Constitution of India. As per the Constitution, a three-tier structure of panchayats is in place across the country, excepting areas where Part IX of the Constitution does not apply. Panchayats are to be instituted, through elections every five years, except in States with a population of less than 20 lakh, where panchayats at two tiers may be created. The Constitution recognizes the gram sabha, i.e. all the electors in a village panchayat. The Constitution provides that seats and offices of chairpersons be reserved for scheduled castes (SCs) and scheduled tribes (STs) in proportion to their respective population, and not less than one-third seats and offices of the chairpersons be reserved for women, including within the SC and ST reservations. Women's increased political participation has yielded positive results. Issues central to development-including health, nutrition, family income and education-have taken center stage as women participate in panchayati raj institutions (PRIs), village development boards, and other governance structures. India has primarily relied upon this method of reservation to ensure women's presence in decision-making bodies. This has increased de jure, but not necessarily de facto, participation. There is a need to encourage women's participation in other kinds of groups and associations which contribute to an atmosphere of leadership by women. This book discusses the background and future possibilities of women and PRIs. [Subject: Gender Studies, India Studies, Constitutional Studies]

Case study with reference to Bīkāner District of Rajasthan, India.

Empowerment of women is a long elaborate account. Through reservation in panchayats or local-self governing bodies is a disquisition of empowerment and gender equality will be discussed in the present paper. It is tried in this paper to trace the history of women's political participation and reservation in local-self governing bodies in India, where women constitute the majority of the world's population. But there is still no society in which women enjoy full equality with men. Further the paper will discuss the decision taken by the Union Cabinet to raise reservation for women from one-third to 50 percent in the year 2009 in all the panchayats in the country and also in decision making bodies and to contest in elections. The paper will also discuss panchayat raj institutions and women's reservation policies in different states in India. Finally the paper will discuss efficacy and disquisition of women's political participation and decision making process in local self government. In conclusion, their should be a increased reservation policy and rotation period for higher posts, effective participation of women in local bodies and in decision making for their empowerment through panchayats.

Today One Of The Issues Of Concern Is The Level Of Women'S Participation In Political Life. In This Context Reservation Seats Is One Of The Instrument Of Political Empowerment For Women. Karnataka Has Been The First State To Introduce The Policy Of Reservation In The Panchayati Raj Institutions. It Is In This Context That The Study Had Been Taken Up And It Intended To Touch Upon Various Aspects Of Women'S Functioning In The Panchayati Raj Institutions Andits Impacts On The Overall Development Of Wormen Especially In The Rural Areas.

With special reference to India.

Papers presented at the National Conference on Empowerment of Women in Parliament and Local Self-Government Institutions in India : Role, Status, Participation and Decision Making, held at Tirupati during 19-20 August 2008.