WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION IN GRAM PANCHAYAT ELECTIONS IN BANSPAL BLOCK OF KEONJHAR DISTRICT OF ODISHA: A SOCIO-POLITICAL ANALYSIS

Abstract

The beginning PRI have consistently been pondered an approach to the good administration and
73rd Constitutional Amendment Act was influenced expectationto feasible and reliable rural
governance system for the marginalised groups of the society. The SCs and STs Women have
opportunities to participate in politics. The objectives of paper examine the political
involvement, awareness, leadership quality and decision taking capacity of women at the threetier system of governance in free India. Both qualitative and quantitative research method was
applied with field survey tools. The observation has made with the sample of 120 elected women
members from 5 Gram Panchayats of Banspal Block in Keonjhar District of Odisha. The
summary and conclusions of the paper disclosed that political involvement of womencritical in
the male dominated society. Due to lack of proper awareness in rural politics and political party,
the women members are victim of the political structure. The reservation system has provided
space for women but ruled by the men. The orthodox cultural practice, patriarchal society and
lower level of education are accountable for women member’s backwardness in grass-root
politics