Lok Sabha Question No. 685 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-03
Subject: Impact of Proxy Representation in Panchayati Raj Institutions
Ministry: PANCHAYATI RAJ
Asked by: Shri Vishaldada Prakashbapu Patil, Dr. Bachhav Shobha Dinesh, Adv Gowaal Kagada Padavi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PANCHAYATI RAJ

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.685

ANSWERED ON 03.02.2026

## IMPACT OF PROXYREPRESENTATION IN PANCHAYATI RAJ INSTITUTIONS

## 685. SHRI VISHALDADAPRAKASHBAPU PATIL: DR. BACHHAV SHOBHADINESH: ADVGOWAALKAGADAPADAVI:

Will the Minister of PANCHAYATI RAJ be pleased to state:

(a) the Government's acknowledged concern regarding the prevalence of 'Pradhanpati culture', elected representative in Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI) nearly fifty percent and the extent to which this practice persists and recorded incidents data, State and district-wise including in Maharshtra;

(b) whether any assessment, audit or study has been conducted to measure the extent of such proxy representation and its impact on women's constitutional powers under Articles 243D and 243E State-wise, if so, the details thereof; and

(c) the specific corrective measures including legal safeguards, capacity-building, social audits and penal provisions, proposed to ensure real empowerment, autonomy and accountability of elected women representatives?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF PANCHAYATI RAJ

## (SHRI RAJIV RANJAN SINGH)

(a) Panchayat', being 'Local Government', is a State subject and part of the State List of the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India. Therefore, any action to curb Pradhanpati culturein Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) lie in the domain of the States.

The State Government of Maharashtra has informed that out of its 34 Districts, such incidents have been reported in two Districts namely Satara and Ahilyanagar.

(b) & (c) On the direction of the Hon'ble Supreme Court, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj constituted an Advisory Committee in September 2023 to examine the issue of Women Pradhans being represented by the male members of their families and also examine other issues related to proxy representation. The Committee has submitted its Report with recommendations to the Ministry in February 2025, and the same has been accepted by the Ministry .

The Advisory Committee recommended that the State Governments take necessary measures, including legal safeguards, capacity-building, social audits and penal provisionsto eliminate proxy leadership in Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and ensure real empowerment, autonomy and accountability of elected women representatives.Owing to the

importance of this matter and its impact on women's leadership in PRls, this Ministry has also constituted a Task Force on 17th April 2025 to ensure practical execution and to oversee the implementation of the recommendations put forth by the Advisory Committee on the issues of Women Pradhans.

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has implemented a Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Revamped Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) w.e.f. financial year 2022-23 with the major objective of Capacity Building & Training (CB&T) of Elected Representatives, Functionaries and other stakeholders of Panchayats across all States/UTs for improving Panchayat Governance. Under the scheme of RGSA, Ministry provides support for Capacity Building & Training of elected representatives, functionaries and other stakeholders of Panchayats in different categories viz. basic orientation and refresher training, thematic training, specialized training, Panchayat development plan training etc. A total of 28,60,585 Women Elected Representatives were trained from FY 2022-23 to FY 2025-26 (as on 31 ST December 2025) under the scheme

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