In Indian democracy there is a need to have a federation with substantial degree of decentralization of powers, functions and finances to the local units of governance. Article 40 of the Indian constitution directed the states to “take steps to organize village panchayats and endow them with such powers and authority as may be necessary to enable them function as of self government.” There seems to have remained a perceptible reluctance on part of the state governments to set up panchayats on regular basis,

give them legitimacy and due power. The credit goes to 73rd Constitution Amendment Act in 1992 as Panchayati Raj Act, which not only provided autonomy to the grassroots but it also provided reservation of one-third of seats for women in every s for women in Panchayati Raj Institutions. Though the debate for women’s reservation in parliament still continues, a major milestone was achieved in 1992 when parliament passed the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Bill, which sought to bring about and institutional

change that mandated reserving 33 per cent of seat. The women representation has been very encouraging in states like West Bengal, Haryana, Maharashtra and Rajasthan.