States' rights, caste factor: What was debated before women's quota in local bodies, Pg17

Key Highlights:

• The Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026, aimed at delimitation and 33% women's reservation in legislatures, was defeated in the Lok Sabha.
• The 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments of 1992 introduced 33% reservation for women in Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and urban local bodies.
• Many states increased women's reservation to 50%; currently, women constitute about 46% of all PRI representatives, compared to less than 14% in the Lok Sabha.
• Debates surrounding women's quotas involved issues such as states' rights, financial obligations, elite capture, and the social profile of women benefiting from reservations.

Detailed Insights:

• Prior to the 73rd and 74th Amendments, local institutions were mentioned in the Directive Principles of State Policy, which are non-enforceable guidelines for governments.
• The 1992 Amendments mandated regular elections to local bodies and authorized state governments to provide grants-in-aid to panchayats from the Consolidated Fund of the State.
• Committees like the Balwantrai Mehta Committee (1957) and Ashok Mehta Committee (1977) had previously suggested local governance reforms.
• Concerns were raised in Parliament about the financial burden on state governments and the need for a Finance Commission to devolve finances to PRIs.
• Some MPs highlighted the risk of elite capture, where powerful groups could dominate resources, and questioned the social profile of women benefiting from the quota.
• The inclusion of OBC women in the quota was a topic of discussion during the debates surrounding the 2023 Act.
• Studies indicate that reservation has legitimized the entry of women into mainstream politics at the grassroots level, challenging perceptions about their disinterest or proxy representation.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Directive Principles of State Policy: Guidelines in the Constitution that are not enforceable by courts but are meant to guide the government in policy-making.
• Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs): System of local self-government in rural areas, responsible for local development and administration.
• Consolidated Fund of the State: The primary fund of a state government where all revenues are deposited and from which expenditures are made.