Women in Panchayat Offices of Rajasthan- Effect on Their Public and Private Domains, and Functioning of Caste and Gender Intersectionalities

Abstract

Rajasthan pioneered the Panchayati Raj (council of five elected members) Act by providing 50% quota to the women belonging to the marginalized sections under the Rajasthan Panchayati Raj (Second Amendment) Bill, 2008 to improve the political participation of women in the rural local self-government. In this paper, I have analyzed the effects of holding positions in the private and public domains of the elected women representatives (EWRs) and the subtle but powerful practice of caste and gender intersectionalities. Under the constructivist paradigm, the data collected through the semi-structured interview of 22 EWRs and 9 appointed women officials were thematically analyzed. It was found that women are still used as ‘seat warmers’ or ‘proxy’ leaders which highlights the ineffective role of the state. The patriarchal practices perpetrated through caste and gender intersectionalities make women vulnerable to silent violence by recognizing their primary role as domestic workers and caregivers and their veiled faces with silent mouths as ‘present’ in the village office. The instrumental value of the male representatives (MRs) makes the state a perpetrator of this violence. The improved training and accountability of the elected women members in the office and working beyond implementing the government schemes will enable holistic women empowerment.