Negotiating Space for Empowerment: Women and Panchayati Raj in Jammu and Kashmir

Owing to the special status under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution till August 2019, the provisions of the Panchayati Raj Act (1992) were not extended to the state of Jammu and Kashmir (J and K). The state experienced years of turmoil and the panchayats remained more or less defunct. Elections were not held regularly and transparently for a long time. After the elections in 1978, the state went for panchayat elections only in 2001, then in 2011, and more recently in 2018. As 73rd Amendment was not implemented in the state, the rule of mandatory elections every five years was not adhered to, one - third reservation to women was not given and panchayats were devoid of power that make them institutions of self - governance at the grass - roots level. Some Amendments were made in the J and K State Panchayat Acts to empower panchayats and make them more functional, but still, they could not come at par with their counterparts in different states of India. This paper explores the status of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in Jammu and Kashmir historically and analyses women?s lack of representation in these bodies. It focuses on the recent changes taking place in the PRIs of J and K and the extent to which the new laws have empowered women and given them space for negotiations and decision - making.