Women Panchayats and Digital Inclusion: Transforming Local Governance
The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1992 was a landmark reform that institutionalized gender representation by reserving one-third (33%) of seats for women in Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs). This affirmative action policy significantly increased women’s political participation, enabling them to take on leadership roles as sarpanches (village heads) and panchayat members, thereby shaping governance at the grassroots level (Buch, 2010).
