In Chhattisgarh’s Paraswara Village, Elected Women Panchs Remain in the Shadows of Their Husbands

Paraswara village in Chhattisgarh recently made headlines when a video from March 3 surfaced, showing six men taking an oath on behalf of their wives, who had been elected as panchayat members. The incident has sparked widespread debate over the implementation of women’s reservation in local governance.

Following the controversy, the district administration suspended the village secretary (sachiv) and reiterated that there is no legal provision allowing husbands to take oaths on behalf of their wives in the three-tier Panchayati Raj system, which reserves 50% of positions for women.

However, within the village, the matter appears to be business as usual. Families claim that four of the elected women were attending funerals, while two were too shy to participate in the official oath-taking ceremony.

A Tradition of Proxy Leadership

A former Zilla Panchayat CEO in Chhattisgarh noted that it is not uncommon for men to field their wives as candidates due to the 50% reservation for women. According to him, the incident gained attention only because the video went viral. Four of the men who took the oath admitted that they had initially prepared to contest the elections but were compelled to field their wives when the wards were reserved for women.

Paraswara village has a population of approximately 1,700 people across 12 wards, six of which are reserved for women. On March 3, the newly elected sarpanch, 55-year-old Ratan Lal Chandravanshi, and the 12 panchs were required to attend the first panchayat meeting, sign a register, and formally commence their duties.

“We had invited all the villagers to celebrate,” Ratan said. “Since four of the elected women were attending funerals and two were hesitant to speak in front of over 100 men, it was decided that they would take the oath separately on March 8, during the election of the deputy sarpanch.”

Despite these claims, the viral video clearly shows the husbands of the elected women taking the oath alongside the six other elected men. Ratan insisted that the men were merely present to collect certificates and celebrate their wives' victories. The suspended sachiv, Pravin Singh Thakur, echoed this claim, but the district administration found it unacceptable and suspended him on March 5.

Ajay Kumar Tripathi, the Zilla Panchayat CEO, stated, “We suspended Thakur as he included non-elected men in the first meeting, which was meant exclusively for elected representatives.”

Women Panchs Speak Out

When approached by the media, the elected women remained largely in the background while their husbands did most of the talking. The men insisted that the official oath-taking would happen on March 8.

Sarita Sahu, a homemaker educated up to class 8, spoke from behind a curtain in her home, stating, “I will attend the panchayat meetings from now on.”

Vidya Bai Yadav, 36, said she was unwell on the day of the meeting. Her husband, Chandrakumar, who has studied up to SSC, explained, “Since she cannot read, I will involve her in panch work by explaining proposals to her and taking her consent.”

Another woman panch, Neera Chandravanshi, remained silent as her husband, Shobharam, a former panch, justified her absence by saying she was attending a funeral.

Santoshi Chandravanshi, 40, who studied up to class 5, admitted, “I do not know what the work of a panch is, but I will learn.” Her daughter added, “My mother should have attended the meeting, but we had to attend a funeral. After seeing the news, we have decided that she will participate in the meetings from now on.”

Gayatri Chandravanshi, another elected panch, said, “My husband encouraged me to contest the election. The sachiv asked us to attend the first meeting, but I was at a funeral. My husband did not take the oath; he only collected my certificate. I will take the oath on March 8 and learn the work of a panch.”

The Larger Issue of Women’s Political Participation

The incident in Paraswara highlights the persistent issue of proxy representation in local governance, where elected women often remain in the shadows of their husbands. While the reservation policy aims to empower women politically, its implementation remains flawed, with many women acting as mere figureheads while their husbands wield actual power.

As the controversy unfolds, the district administration's response underscores the importance of ensuring that women actively participate in governance rather than serve as proxies. Whether the women of Paraswara will truly step into their roles after March 8 remains to be seen, but the incident has once again brought to light the challenges facing women’s political empowerment in rural India.