2025, Vol. 7, Issue 11, Part C

Author(s): Ravi Kant Pandey

Abstract: This study examines the dynamics of women’s political participation and empowerment in Bihar’s Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) through the lens of constructive politics. Drawing on survey data and theoretical frameworks such as modernization theory, rational choice theory, and social capital theory, the research explores how reservation policies have transformed local governance and gender relations. The findings reveal a dual narrative: while reservation policies under the 73^rd Constitutional Amendment Act (1992) have significantly enhanced women’s descriptive representation, substantive empowerment remains uneven. Many elected women still experience proxy leadership, where male relatives exercise de facto authority, reflecting the enduring influence of cultural patriarchy. However, growing involvement in Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and local community networks has strengthened women’s social capital, fostering trust, confidence, and leadership. The study highlights that political reservation acts as a “school of democracy,” gradually enabling women to participate in decision-making processes and influence local development priorities such as education, health, and sanitation. The results underscore that true empowerment requires continuous capacity-building programs, gender-sensitive governance frameworks, and structural reforms to convert symbolic participation into genuine political agency. The research concludes that sustainable empowerment in Bihar’s PRIs depends on transforming representation into decision-making power, thereby bridging the gap between gender inclusion and democratic transformation.

DOI: 10.33545/26646021.2025.v7.i11c.761

Pages: 196-201 | Views: 50 | Downloads: 3

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