NATIONAL SEMINAR ON

DALIT SITUATION IN INDIA AFTER ECONOMIC REFORMS APRIL 21-22, 2016

Title of the Paper

Democratic decentralization and nature of political exclusion of Dalits in Panchayati Raj

Avinash G. Bhale

Abstract

The 73rd Amendment of the Constitution is a step forward in providing an opportunity to

hitherto socially excluded groups, including Dalits, the women, to participate in the grass root
level development process with the Constitutional authority as members of the Panchayat Raj
Institutions. These grass root level institutions have come into existence as a constitutional
obligation of decentralization of power and this has ensured the empowerment of those
collectivities which were social, culturally and politically excluded from the mainstream of
societal processes.
This paper is based on the empirical research study done in Kolhapur district during
2013-14 which gives highlights on contemporary situation and focused on the power structure
based on caste influenced on the operational side of implementation of 73 rd Amendment in its
true senses and also give contemporary picture how the social values and norms were
discriminatory and exploitative in nature which has prevented Dalits from taking participation in
the socio-political processes. This study also focused on different reasons on the exclusion of
Dalit from Panchayati Raj institution.

Key Notes Politics, 73rd Amendments, Democratic decentralization, Political

Exclusion Participation in development
Author
Avinash Bhale
Asst. Professor cum Asst. Director,
Center for Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy,
Shivaji University, Kolhapur, India
avinash.bhale@gmail.com
"Democratic decentralization and nature of political exclusion of Dalits in Panchayati Raj"
Avinash G. Bhale

Introduction

In India the history of Indian Governances is concerned one of the most significant
changes in its structure of governance is nothing but related to the 73rd and 74th Amendments to
the Constitution of India in 1992, popularly known as the Panchayati Raj Amendments, which
give local governments, rural and urban, a legal status that they previously excluded. Indian
governance is the largest representative and democratic base in the world1.Different thinkers and
practitioners argue that "Democratic Decentralization" as the single greatest force for good
governance in terms of its potential for fast Inclusion by securing the participation of excluded
groups in the Governance process at the different level.
At the larger picture at International governances, Majority of the developing countries in
the world today have adopted decentralization of administration, especially after the 1980s.
Decentralization as a developmental strategy has emerged as a dominant trend in world politics.
Decentralization has been looked as a useful mode of administration to deliver the public service
from suitable local centers close to the people's locality. To bring the administration to the
doorsteps of the citizens and establish a direct relationship between the people and
administration has been the main driving force behind decentralization in most of the developing
countries. Many United Nations agencies, international financial institutions, and national
governments promoted and supported decentralization on the argument that, lower tiers of the
state can administer services or engage in development efforts more effectively and efficiently
than the central and state because they are closer to the people who use the services and benefit
from them.
In globalization era, it is difficult to see the actual problem in real grounds.
Different national, international actors and stakeholders play different roles in the political and

1Mani Shankar Iyer, The Panchayat System: A Major Innovation in Empowering People address by
the Minister of Panchayati Raj government of India at the conference on Making Democratic
Governments Work- Connecting Principle and Practice at the Ash Institute for Democratic Governance
and Innovation, Harvard University , April 2005.
economic domain of any countries, especially like India as a potential of a market for something.
We are slowly moving towards, Privatization, Liberalization, and Globalization. We adopted a
new economic policy and accept the Structural Adjustment Program (SAP) and we are now
following the norms as per the demand of the corporate MNC who is investing through FDI
different villages got displaced due to a project like dams, mining, etc.
The process of land acquisition and setting up projects along with rehabilitation of
displaced project affected peoples are a major concern in the current stage of development. There
is a meaningful role of Panchayati Raj institution in the whole development process at local
level. The decision-making process in the local self-governances can play a vital role in such
development issues. In presences of feudal mindsets of people implementation of the process as
per the legislation is a challenge.
Decentralization and community drove management to acquire special importance in the
context of the ongoing process of globalization and associated economic reforms. While the
process of globalization acts in ways in which the market acquires supremacy to the detriment of
people who lose control over their livelihood patterns as well as other choices, the process of
decentralization could act as a countervailing force enabling people to acquire control over
decisions that influence their lives in critical areas.

Research methodology
Both quantitative and qualitative research design is used for the current study; Survey
Method is used for the current research study. There are 131 villages in Panhala Block out of 16
villages took randomly for data collection we divide our small towns in two main clusters up the
side of Panhala fort is cluster one which covers Awali, Bongewadi, Jakhale, Kakhe, Kodoli,
Mitharwadi, mohair, Vekhandwadi, then second cluster we took villages from down the side of
Panhala fort which covers Alave, Ghotavade, Majanal, Nevada, Padal, Patpanhala, Pimple T.
Thane, Yevluj villages. 482 respondents were selected, with a help of cluster sample and simple
Stratified Random sampling methods. Information regarding the profile of the villages and the
list of the respondents gathers through government sources by visiting the Phanala Panchayat
Samite office. The rest information related respondent's responses and views related
Grampanchyat and nature of their self-perceived participation in Grampanchyat in the light of
73rd Amendment were gathered through structured interviews. Since the study is based on
survey design, interview method is considered as the most appropriate method of data
collection. The interview schedule was modified and used in the final field study in a Phanala
block of Kolhapur Besides this; The observation method was also used to collect the
information's about a set of issues that concern rural political leadership. This was done not as
the substitute to interview, but as supplementary. The observation method was used in three
broad contexts; (1) while interviewing respondents (ii) while visiting Panchayat offices, and (iii)
while visiting villages during the field work. The information gathered from observation is used
as additional information in the study and help understand the issues under consideration in a
more holistic and comprehensive way.
Objectives of the study
1. To study the participation of marginalized community in the decentralization process
based on the 73rd amendment
2. To study the process of decision making in Panchayat meetings
3. To draw a conclusion about the level of participation of marginalized communities in
Panchayati Raj and the reasons in enabling and obstructing effective participation.
4. To understand the gender and caste dynamics and their impact on marginalized
community participation in Panchayati Raj Institute.

73rd Amendment in India

The Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992 mandates provisions for: -
1. Establishment of a three-tier structure (Village Panchayat, Panchayat Samiti or
intermediate level Panchayat and Zilla Parishad or district level Panchayat).
2. To provide a 3-tier system of Panchayati Raj for all States having a population of over 20
lakh.
3. Establishment of Gram Sabhas at the village level.
4. Regular elections to Panchayats every 5 years.
5. Proportionate seat reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
6. Reservation of not less than 33% seats for women.
7. Constitution of State Finance Commissions to make recommendations regarding the
financial powers of the Panchayats.
8. Constitution of District Planning Committee to prepare draft development plan for the
district as a whole.
Powers and Responsibilities The Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992 vests power in the
State Government to endow Panchayats with such powers and authority as may be necessary to
enable them to function as institutions of self-government such as: -
1. Preparation of plants and their execution for economic development and social justice in
relation to 29 subjects listed in the XI Schedule of the Constitution.
2. Authority to Panchayat to levy, collect and appropriate taxes, duties, tolls and fees.
3. Transfer of taxes, duties, tolls and fees collected by the States to Panchayats.
Gram Sabha
In the Panchayati Raj set up, the Gram Sabha, the general assembly of villagers, has a
key role in the effective functioning of Panchayats. In the Gram Sabha meeting, the rural poor,
the women, and the marginalized people would now get an opportunity to join in decision
making on matters affecting their lives. Active functioning of the Gram Sabha would ensure a
participatory democracy with transparency, accountability, and achievement.
1. Gram Sabha should meet a least in each quarter preferably on Republic Day, Labour Day,
Independence Day and Gandhi Jayanti.
2. Decide developmental work to be undertaken by Panchayats based on needs assessment.
3. Suggest remedial measures for economy and efficiency in the functioning of the
Panchayats.
4. Question and scrutinize the decisions of Panchayats in the meeting of Gram Sabha.
5. Discuss the Annual Financial Statement of Gram Panchayats.

The Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992 envisages empowered Panchayats as

institutions of self-government at the village level capable of:
1. Planning and executing village level public works and their maintenance.
2. The ensuring welfare of the people at the village level including health, education,
communal harmony, social justice particularly gender and caste-based discrimination,
dispute resolution, the welfare of children, especially the girl-child.
The Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992 also envisages empowered Gram Sabhas
as the Parliament of the People at the grassroots level to whom the Gram Panchayats
are solely accountable.

Political Exclusion of Dalits

Influences on the election process and politics in village
 In Indian society almost all the power sutures, including social, political and economic
are dominated by the upper castes. Despite the prominence of a few Dalits who have gained high
political positions. In current study also it is Cleary has seen that in the proposed study universe
the majority upper caste male dominated the whole political domain in the village. As per own
observation in during study, we find that at village level majority election panel run by the upper
caste and economically powerful section of the village which is always got affiliation with state
or national political party, This strategy works very effectively in the Grampanchyat level but if
we look the realities it replicate different picture from viewpoint of excluded groups. As it seen
very clear in the following table no 1
Table 1 - Caste and Influences on the election process and politics in Village
Caste Influences on the election process and politics in village
landlord upper peoples majority individual- 3 and Total
caste with panel centric 2
people political
relation
Open 0.4 0.6 11.8 18.9 1.7 8.5 41.9
OBC 0.8 1.7 11.4 6.4 1.2 7.3 28.8
SC and
0.4 0.4 2.7 4.6 1 13.5 22.6
ST
NTDNT 0 0 0.4 2.9 0.4 2.9 6.6
Total 1.6 2.7 26.3 32.8 4.3 32.2 100

Reference Field Data

13.5 % responded from SC and ST says upper caste people from the majority panel has
greater influences on the political process at the village level, 8.5 % respondent belong from
upper dominated caste also respond the same thing. If we see the 32.8 % respondent
saying majority plane influences on the political process at the same time, 32% respondent says
upper caste people in the majority panel influences more in the political process happened at the
local level. Only 26 % respondent says the people with political affiliation as influences on the
all political process at the village level. Autonomy of the election panels got diluted in the
influences of larger political aspirations. Mostly upper caste Maratha community plays the
important role in the managing the power structures within the framework of democracy by
following all process justifying the democracy.
Caste and Respondents participation or attendances in Gramsabha
Decentralization is no doubt a multi-dimensional concept. Gram Sabha is an institutional
mechanism of participatory democracy. It provides an opportunity to all the people to participate
in the development process. Gram Sabha' means a body consisting of persons registered in the
electoral rolls relating to a village comprised within the area of Panchayat at the village level.
This was a model for democracy at the grass roots based on direct participation by the people.

Table 2 - Caste and Respondents participation or attendances in Gramsabha Cross tabulation

Caste Respondents participation or attendances in Gramsabha
No Yes Total
Open 13.5 28.4 41.9
OBC 11.2 17.6 28.8
SC and ST 14.3 8.3 22.6
NTDNT 2.5 4.1 6.6
Total 41.5 58.4 100
Reference Field Data
Gramsabha is one of the important tools of democracy which secures participation of the
people in the democratic process. During the study, we asked questions to respond about
participation it got clear that in the study area majority SC and ST community only 8.3 % people
out of 22.6% of Dalit respondent attend the Gramsabha as per observation all these are Dalit
respondents are either elected members or family members of elected Dalit members in the
Panchayat. Reaming 14.3% responded out of 22.6% Dalit respondents not
attending Gramsabha due to various reasons. It is distinctly seen that Participation of the Dalits
communities from villages has less participation in the in the study area. Why the Dalits not
able to attending the gram sabha is a very important question in the context of ideal democratic
decentralization.
In the village there are different systems and practices used to inform the villagers about
the Gram Sabha, formally the notice is issued and declaration of date time through traditional
practices like Davandi. Information related date and time of Sabha is important and basic
information to villagers to take part in Gramsabha, if the information of date and time does not
know to the villagers they will not able to attend the Gramsabha. With references to chart 3 we
can say that specially SC and ST community is concern only 2.1 % and 2.7 out of 22.6 5 of Dalit
respondent received information about Gramsabha through formal sources which majority
practices in the study area that is through notice and Davandi and majority of Dalit respondents
i.e. 12.4 % received information from other sources like somebody told received information
from discussion in villages and majority specially respondents shared that no one received
formal information from Panchayat or elected members and the majority of them received
information of Gramsabha after Gramsabha happened. But ironically in the case of Open and
OBC community, the information sources are notices and Davandi and they have also received
information from the elected member from their ward. In case of open community,
mainly Maratha caste 13.5% out of 41.9 % received information from notices and 7.9% OBC out
of 28.8% total OBC respondent received

Caste and information sources related Gramsabha

Open OBC SC and ST NTDNT
13.5 12.4
7.9 7.3 7.9
6.4
5.8 5
4.6
2.1 3.1
2.3 2.7 2.1 3.7 2.5
1.9 2.3
1 0.8
0.6 1.2 0.4
0.2
0 0.8
0.2 1.2

Reference Field Data

This finding gives birth to the new argument that Dalits kept excluded from the information
and notice is given to only two Open community or OBC but not to all other communities,
Dalits are strategically left out by keeping them not informed. Not informed regarding
Gramsabha is a strategy applied to keep way excluded community from participating in the
political process in demarcating setting is also needed further investigation, but it has some
linkages with the exclusion of Dalits from political participation.

Reasons for Dalit exclusion from Local self-Governance

 There are different reasons during study research take views of different people from
different caste groups towards the causes of Dalit exclusion from Local self Governance

Table -3 - Caste and caste responses on Dalit exclusion from Local self-Governance
Responses on Dalit exclusion from Local self-Governance
Caste
They are illiterate Time of political No No Total
hence, they don't Gramsabha isolation by the informatio respons
understand the and job time other n e
importance of it is same communities
Open 8.5 17.2 7.3 6 2.9 41.9
OBC 10.4 11.2 3.5 2.7 1 28.8
SC and
6.2 9.5 5.2 0.6 1 22.6
ST
NTDN
1.5 3.9 0.6 0 0.6 6.6
T
Total 26.6 41.8 16.6 9.3 5.5 100
Reference Field Data
With references to the table 3, it seen that 41.8 % respondents time of job and time
of Sabha is a major issue in the participation of excluded groups, especially like Dalit is a
concern, as per the observation during data collection most of Dalit respondents shared that
politics is not important that our livelihood. This reasoning and understanding might have two
logics one is in this study area majority Dalits are landless and agricultural labors and they
have worked for upper caste landholders so they are having the anxiety to lose their livelihood
if they assert their rights and got involved in the political process at local level. The second
feudal mindset of Dalits towards the political participation.26.6 % respondents say especially
out of 26.6%, 10.4 % OBC respondents says due to illiteracy and they are not political capacities
and they dont understand the importance of Gramsabha and Panchayat raj institute or local self-
governance. 16.6% respondents say Dalits kept isolated from the political participation by other
communities and interesting is that out of 16.6%, nearly7.3% respondent from open caste and
3.5% responded from OBC community gave the same responses that Dalits kept
isolated from the other communities.
 Along the above finding we can read that in the study area, mostly excluded
communities like Dalits are not capable of participating in the due to major four reasons,
firstly, they don't take time due to livelihood insecurity and the timing of Gramsabha and
timing of job contradicts each other, secondly, illiteracy and negative feeling among these
groups towards the Grampanchyat or political process, thirdly, they are politically isolated
from the other dominated community and fourthly, they kept didn't inform related to
Gramsabha

Participation process of upper caste women and Dalit women in Panchayati Raj -

In Accident India (3200 BC), the caste system was nonexistent since even the most
learned men were good householders and had varied occupations. The accident women were just
as superior as men in learning; education and intellect. But the creation of a number of Hindu
religious books, including the Manusmriti, Atharva Vedas VishnuSmriti and strong
institutionalization of the teachings and sayings in these books create inequality between men
and women. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar makes it very clear in his Article titled The rise and fall of
Hindu woman that the root causes of sufferings of women in India are these all books,
Manusmriti divided society in a stratified caste system and promotes inequality men and women.
According to Manusmriti women have no right to education, independence or wealth.

Castewise Particpation Women in Gramsabha

Respondents participation or attendances in Gramsabha no female
Respondents participation or attendances in Gramsabha yes female
Respondents participation or attendances in Gramsabha yes diffrence

24.5
19.5 21
13.12 12.77 15.33
11.38
6.73 5.67 6
3.16
2.84
Open OBC SC and ST NTDNT

Reference field data

With references to Above Chart, it is clearly seen that 24.5 % Upper caste Women, not
Attending Gramsabha and 13.12 % upper caste women attend the gram sabha. Among OBC 19.5
5 OBC women not attending Gramsabha only 6.73% OBC Women mainly those are elected
members. Same thing with Dalit women 21% Dalit women not attending gram sabha and only
5.67% Dalit women mainly those are elected members attending gram sabha. If we see the
differences we will find Dalit Women participation is very low compared to OBC and Open
upper caste women.
Conclusion
We can add up to the conclusion related participation of excluded groups due to caste
identity from to the study area i.e. Panhala block of Kolhapur district. It is distinctly seen that
Participation of the excluded groups from villages has less participation in the Gramsabha in the
study area. Not informed regarding Gramsabha is a strategy applied to keep way excluded
community from participating in the political process in demarcating setting is also need further
investigation, but it has some linkages with the exclusion of Dalits from political participation.
Along the above finding we can read that in the study area, mostly excluded communities like
Dalits are not capable of participating in the due to major four reasons, firstly, they don't take
time due to livelihood insecurity and the timing of and timing of job contradicts each other,
secondly, illiteracy and negative feeling among these groups towards the Grampanchyat or
political process, thirdly, they are politically isolated from the other dominated community and
fourthly, they kept didn't inform related to Gramsabha. It is a readable delineation of the
participation of upper caste women in the political operation in local self-governances and within
27.01 % women respondent from the open community mostly is elected members and therefore,
they accept to attend Gramsabha.
At the local level, we decentralized the powers but the livelihood linkages and dependency
of Dalit community on upper caste still play a vital role in the policy inclusion. Total village
level political spaces were enjoyed by the upper caste community. So Decentralization of
powers" ideally very good to see but at the grassroots level is very difficult to implement due to
caste notion and prejudices. Thought the 73 rd Amendment gives powers but assert of this power
by Dalit is very challenging and one of the reasons of Atrocities against Dalits in Maharashtra.

References -

1. Mani Shankar Iyer, The Panchayat System: A Major Innovation in Empowering People
address by the Minister of Panchayati Raj government of India at the conference on
 Making Democratic Governments Work- Connecting Principle and Practice at the Ash
Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation, Harvard University , April 2005.
2. SudhaMenon (2007): Grass-Root Democracy and Empowerment of People: evolution of
Panchayati Raj in India, MPRA Paper No. 3839, posted 5.

3. Ruth J. Alsop (2008): Inclusion and local elected governments: the Panchayat raj system
in India, World Bank India.

4. Singh Raj, Panchayat Raj Manual: A Socio-Historical Cum Legal Perspective, Anmol
Publications, NewDelhi, 1996, pp.10.
5. GhoshRathna, PramanikAlok Kumar, Panchayat System in India. Historical,
Constitutional and FinancialAnalysis, Kanishka Publication, New Delhi, 1999, pp. 208.
6. Singh Raj, Panchayat Raj Manual : A Socio-Historical Cum Legal Perspective, 1996
7. Mathew George, Panchayati Raj in India, An Overview. Status of Panchayati Raj in India,
Concept PublishingCompany, New Delhi, 2000, pp.3.
8. Altekar A.S., State and Government in Ancient India, MotilalBanarasi Das Publications,
New Delhi, 1997,pp. 229.

9. Prabhat Datta (1998) Major Issues in the Development Debate, New Delhi : Kanishka, pp
14-19