Chhattisgarh’s decision to bar the unofficial-but-rampant intrusion of pradhan or sarpanch patis in local governance is welcome. All states should ban the regressive patriarchal practice of husbands or male relatives stepping in for a section of the more than 14 lakh elected women panchayat leaders. A panel formed in 2023 on the Supreme Court’s order advised setting up a mentoring system for women leaders, a helpline to lodge anonymous reports of proxy leadership and rewards for verified complaints. Beyond the awareness campaigns that the Union government periodically runs, all states—especially those like Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu that have reserved half the panchayat seats for women—must run training programmes on financial management and implement the panel’s recommendations in full.
