Political awareness and participation of women in marginalised communities: An empirical study from Karnataka

The 73rd and 74th Amendment Acts acknowledged the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes (SCs/STs) and instituted special provisions for their political representation. In this paper, we tried to understand the SCs/STs people and representative’s political participation and awareness in the selected districts of Karnataka. The study has been selected Udupi and Dharwad Districts of Karnataka. Keradi and Shiroor Villages in Udupi and Bammigatti village from Dharwad have been selected for detail study. Results reveal that SC males possess better knowledge of constitutional provisions compared to STs. Political awareness benefits these communities by facilitating infrastructure and community development. However, the study identifies that SC/ST individuals, predominantly engaged in wage work with limited agricultural land, face economic challenges, poor education, and exhibit low interest in village-level public activities. Despite better political participation among SCs than STs within deprived groups, overall participation is hampered by socio-economic disadvantages and societal barriers. While involvement in activities like voting and rallies is notable, holding political positions remains limited. Deprived groups, largely aligning with the Congress party, witness a shift among youth towards the BJP and other parties. The 73rd Amendment’s reservation system encourages initial steps towards political empowerment, notably among women, though many act through proxies in meetings. The study suggests self-motivation among deprived groups for contesting elections and providing services to enhance socio-economic conditions. Overall, there is potential for leadership changes within weaker sections, fostering experienced and willing individuals to contribute effectively to their communities through political participation.