In Tripura, a two-day consultative seminar for the women Sarpanches and members of PRIs of the North Eastern region began today at Agartala. Addressing the workshop virtually from New Delhi, Secretary of the Panchayati Raj Ministry Mrs Mamata Verma said discussions on stopping Proxy Participation on behalf of women were timely in the light of the Supreme Court’s order. Applauding the initiative of the Tripura government in organising such consultative workshops, Mrs Verma said there are many states in the country where women members’ participation is made with proxy by male members of their families, which tendency needs to be stopped.

Notably, following a writ petition, the Supreme Court, on July 6, 2024, ordered the formation of an advisory committee to review the practice of male family members acting as proxies for elected female representatives, and other related issues. In this context, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj has begun organising such consultative workshops in states and regions to empower the womenfolk working at the grassroots levels to put an end to the trend. On the occasion, Secretary of the state Panchayat Department Dr. Sandeep Rathore said that about fifty per cent of seats in the three-tier panchayati raj system in Tripura are for women. Also, there are five panchayat bodies like, Matabari Panchayat Samiti, Khilpara Gram Panchayat, Thakcherra Gram Panchayat, Karoimura Gram Panchayat and Halahali Gram Panchayat, where all members are women and even office staff are women.