Govt claims women winning unreserved panchayat seats in ‘significant numbers’

Ahead of the National Panchayati Raj Day connected Friday (April 24), the Union Government said the implementation of women’s preservation successful Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) led to women comprising implicit 49.7% of each elected panchayat representatives, adding that women were winning successful unreserved seats arsenic good successful “significant numbers”.

While the Constitution mandates a 33% preservation for women successful municipality and agrarian section bodies, 19 States and national territories person extended this proviso to reserve 50% seats for women. However, astir precocious disposable authorities information submitted to Parliament successful 2025 showed that the fig of women representatives exceeded the prescribed quota successful conscionable 10 States/union territories and by astir 0 to 5 percent points. Further, 4 States/union territories did not conscionable the quota, portion 5 others person conscionable capable women to conscionable the prescribed preservation percentage.