**Executive Summary**
This document reports on Unstarred Question No. 685 concerning the "Pradhanpati culture" (proxy representation) within Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI). It addresses concerns about women's constitutional powers and actions taken to ensure genuine empowerment. A key action was the formation of an Advisory Committee, which submitted its report in February 2025, and the Ministry constituted a Task Force on April 17, 2025, to implement the committee's recommendations.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **"Pradhanpati Culture":**
* The "Pradhanpati culture" in PRIs, where elected representatives, especially women, are represented by male family members, is a concern.
* Addressing this issue falls under the jurisdiction of State Governments.
* Maharashtra reported such incidents in two of its 34 districts (Satara and Ahilyanagar).
* **Advisory Committee:**
* The Ministry of Panchayati Raj established an Advisory Committee in September 2023, directed by the Supreme Court, to examine proxy representation issues.
* The committee submitted its report in February 2025, with recommendations that were accepted by the Ministry.
* **Recommendations and Task Force:**
* The Advisory Committee recommended that State Governments take measures like legal safeguards, capacity-building, social audits, and penal provisions to eliminate proxy leadership.
* The Ministry formed a Task Force on April 17, 2025, to implement the Advisory Committee's recommendations.
* **Centrally Sponsored Scheme:**
* The Ministry implemented the Revamped Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) from FY 2022-23, focused on Capacity Building & Training (CB&T) of Panchayat stakeholders.
* RGSA aims to improve Panchayat Governance.
* 28,60,585 Women Elected Representatives were trained from FY 2022-23 to FY 2025-26 (as on 31st December 2025) under this scheme.
**Impact Analysis**
**State Governments**
* **Impact:** They are responsible for curbing "Pradhanpati culture" within PRIs.
* **Action Required:** Take necessary measures, including legal safeguards, capacity-building, social audits, and penal provisions, to eliminate proxy leadership.
**Elected Representatives and other Panchayat Stakeholders**
* **Impact**: They will benefit from Capacity Building & Training through the RGSA Scheme.
* **Action Required**: Participate in the various training programs provided under the RGSA scheme to improve panchayat governance.
**Women Elected Representatives**
* **Impact**: Aimed at their real empowerment, autonomy, and accountability.
* **Action Required**: Engage with initiatives implemented to ensure they are fairly and accurately represented in PRIs.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Panchayati Raj: The primary government body addressing proxy representation issues in Panchayati Raj Institutions.
Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs): Local self-government institutions in rural areas, focus of proxy representation concern.
Revamped Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA): A centrally sponsored scheme focused on capacity building and training for Panchayat representatives and stakeholders.
Advisory Committee: Committee constituted to examine the issue of women Pradhans being represented by male members and related proxy representation issues.
Constitution of India: The overarching legal framework; the Seventh Schedule lists 'Local Government' as a State subject.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRYOF PANCHAYATI RAJ
LOK SABHA
UNSTARREDQUESTION NO.685
ANSWEREDON 03.02.2026
IMPACTOFPROXYREPRESENTATION IN PANCHAYATI RAJ INSTITUTIONS
685. SHRIVISHALDADAPRAKASHBAPUPATIL:
DR.BACHHAVSHOBHADINESH:
ADVGOWAALKAGADAPADAVI:
Willthe Ministerof PANCHAYATIRAJ be pleased tostate:
(a) the Government’s acknowledged concern regarding the prevalence of “Pradhanpati
culture”, elected representative in Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI) nearly fifty percent and
the extent to which this practice persists and recorded incidents data, State and district-wise
includinginMaharshtra;
(b) whether any assessment, audit or study has been conducted to measure the extent of such
proxy representation and its impact on women’s constitutional powers under Articles 243D
and243E State-wise,if so, the detailsthereof; and
(c) the specific corrective measures including legal safeguards, capacity-building, social
audits and penal provisions, proposed to ensure real empowerment, autonomy and
accountabilityof elected women representatives?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF PANCHAYATI RAJ
(SHRIRAJIVRANJAN SINGH)
(a) Panchayat”, being “Local Government”, is a State subject and part of the State List
of the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India. Therefore, any action to curb
Pradhanpati culturein PanchayatiRaj Institutions (PRIs) lie in the domainof the States.
The State Government of Maharashtra has informed that out of its 34 Districts, such
incidentshave beenreported intwo Districts namelySataraandAhilyanagar.
(b) & (c) On the direction of the Hon’ble Supreme Court, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj
constituted an Advisory Committee in September 2023 to examine the issue of Women
Pradhans being represented by the male members of their families and also examine other
issues related to proxy representation. The Committee has submitted its Report with
recommendations to the Ministry in February 2025, and the same has been accepted by the
Ministry.
The Advisory Committee recommended that the State Governments take necessary
measures, including legal safeguards, capacity-building, social audits and penal provisionsto
eliminate proxy leadership in Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and ensure real
empowerment, autonomy and accountability of elected women representatives.Owing to the
1importanceof thismatter anditsimpactonwomen'sleadership inPRls,thisMinistry hasalso
constituted a Task Force on 17th April 2025 to ensure practical execution and to oversee the
implementation of the recommendations put forth by the Advisory Committee on the issues
of WomenPradhans.
The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has implemented a Centrally Sponsored Scheme of
Revamped Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) w.e.f. financial year 2022-23 with the
major objective of Capacity Building & Training (CB&T) of Elected Representatives,
Functionaries and other stakeholders of Panchayats across all States/UTs for improving
Panchayat Governance. Under the scheme of RGSA, Ministry provides support for Capacity
Building & Training of elected representatives, functionaries and other stakeholders of
Panchayats in different categories viz. basic orientation and refresher training, thematic
training, specialized training, Panchayat development plan training etc. A total of 28,60,585
Women Elected Representatives were trained from FY 2022-23 to FY 2025-26 (as on
31STDecember 2025) underthe scheme
*****
2