Women Participation in Zilla Panchayat: A Study of Mysore District

Panchayat Raj Institutions have always been considered as a means to good governance and 73^rd Constitutional Amendment was effected in the hope that it would lead to better governance and provide political space to the disadvantage section of the society like SC, ST and women.The present study was an effort to know the extent of participation of women elected members in Panchayat and the problems faced by them. Sample consisted of 50 women elected members from Mysore District. The tool used for obtaining information was an interview schedule. The findings of the study revealed that neither the reservation for women or their actual presence in the panchayat have become any more sensitive to the problems related to the village women. At times they were pressurized by their husbands to approve their decisions made by the male dominated panchayats.