Panchayat or 'Panch-Pati'? Husbands take oath instead of elected wives, sparks row in Chhattisgarh

In a blatant case of proxy leadership, the husbands of six newly elected women panchayat members in Paraswara, Chhattisgarh, took the oath in their place, sparking outrage and an official investigation, reported The Times of India.

The incident came to light after videos of an all-male oath ceremony in Kabirdham district surfaced on social media. As a result, Janpad panchayat secretary Pranveer Singh Thakur has been suspended.

This controversy erupts at a time when the Centre is pushing to dismantle the entrenched practice of ‘panch-pati’—where male relatives take control of women’s elected positions. Ahead of International Women’s Day, the government has launched a first-of-its-kind leadership programme for women representatives in panchayati raj institutions.


Ironically, Pandariya constituency, which includes Paraswara, is represented by a woman MLA—BJP’s Bhavna Bohra.

Paraswara, a small village with about 200 families, has 12 panchayat wards, half of which are reserved for women. The affected representatives—Gayatri Bai Chandra Vansi, Sarita Sahu, Mirabai, Santoshi Chandra Vansi, Sarita Bai Chandra Vansi, and Vidya Bai—were sidelined as their husbands took the oath on March 3, alongside six male panchayat members. The ceremony was conducted by the panchayat secretary.

As outrage spread, Thakur claimed that only male representatives were sworn in that day and that the women's oath-taking was scheduled for March 6. Another official suggested the women couldn’t take the oath because they were unable to read.

Kabirdham panchayat CEO Ajay Tripathi, who learned of the incident via social media, has ordered a probe. "It's a serious issue. Action will be taken based on the investigation report," he stated. Following this, Thakur was issued a show-cause notice and later suspended.

Social activists and residents have slammed the incident as an insult to women and a mockery of the electoral process. The entrenched practice of husbands usurping their wives’ elected roles continues to undermine the purpose of seat reservations for women.