Women aspirants skip meets, men take call on candidates for reserved seats in Malerkotla
Seven years after 50 per cent reservation for women in Panchayati Raj Institutes was implemented when Captain Amarinder Singh was Punjab Chief Minister, decisions about short-listing of candidates for posts of sarpanches and panches on seats reserved for them are taken by meetings convened by males.
However, the woman aspirants have to queue up at government offices for submission of the nomination forms, along with their proposers.
Villagers, including senior leaders who finalised the list of candidates of their groups, argued that performing duties of sarpanches and panches was almost a ‘family affair’ and each member, including constitutionally elected incumbents, had to reschedule his or her routine to come true to the expectations of residents of their localities.
Observations at Malikpur, Jandali Kalan, Dehliz Khurad, Maherna Khurad, Rohira, Badesha and Kothala revealed that local leaders of various political parties, social organisations and sports clubs have been organising meetings to discuss prospects of electing panchayats unanimously. Political leaders convened their separate meetings too.
However, in most of the meetings, women were invited only after a final decision about their candidature was taken by the male members of their families.
Former sarpanch Ravinder Singh Dhaliwal said it was not possible for women to participate in all meetings as they have to look after household affairs too. “As my wife Gurmit Kaur has already served as village sarpanch for a term, senior leaders decided unanimously to launch her as candidate for the post of sarpanch,” said Dhaliwal. He added Rajwant Kaur, Sarabjit Kaur, Nachhatar Singh and Babu Khan, besides him (Ravinder Singh Dhaliwal), were shortlisted for election as panch unanimously.
Balwinder Singh Rinka of Malikpur village said a parley of meetings of male members of families intending to launch their women in panchayat elections were being organised for some days; however, the final decision was yet to be taken.
“As it was not convenient for women aspirants to attend meetings at odd times, we invited male members of their families to meetings being held for the purpose of the unanimous constitution of the panchayat,” said Rinka.
When contacted, women aspirants showed indifference to the tendency and argued that there was nothing wrong if male members of families of woman sarpanches or panches shared their responsibilities.
Harvinder Kaur Bajwa, whose name has been unanimously shortlisted for the post of sarpanch, said, “Our family has been looking after the functioning of the village panchayat for over two decades and the male members have been taking the important decisions most of the time.”
“Once I am elected as sarpanch, I will head official meetings of the panchayat while my husband, Satwinder Bajwa, a retired police officer, and members of our family will help me in resolving miscellaneous issues,” she added.
