DIRECTIVE PRINCIPLES OF STATE POLICY:-

Part IV of the Constitution provides for Directive Principles of State Policy.

The Directive Principles are the ideals which the Union and the State
Governments must keep in mind while they formulate policy or pass a law.
They lay down certain social, economic and political principles, suitable to
peculiar conditions prevailing in India. The Directive Principles of State
Policy that are to be taken into consideration while making a law with
respect to Women are as follows:

1. Article 39 (a) – that the citizens, men and women equally, have the
right to an adequate means of livelihood, (d) – that there is equal pay
for equal work for both men and women and (e) – that the health and
strength of workers, men and women and the tender age of children
are not abused and that citizens are not forced by economic necessity
to enter avocations unsuited to their age or strength.
2. Article 42 – Provisions for just and humane conditions of work and
maternity relief.
3. Article 44 – Uniform Civil Code for the citizens.

FUNDAMENTAL DUTIES:
This new Part IV-A which consists of only one Article 51-A was added to
the Constitution by the 42nd Amendment, 1976. This Article for the first
time specifies a Code of ten Fundamental Duties for the citizens. Article 51
- A provides for a number of Fundamental Duties, one of the Fundamental
Duty is Article 51-A (e) i.e. to renounce practices derogatory to the dignity
of women.

OTHER CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS (POLITICAL RIGHTS):

Women’s participation in Political process cannot be confined to the right to
vote, but also includes access to public office and the administrative of law.

Women take active participation in the Panchayati Raj Institutions and

women leadership plays a very important role in the working, functioning
and the decision making process of the Panchayati Raj Institutions. The
working of Panchayati Raj Institutions mainly depend upon the quality of
leadership available at the grassroots institutions.
The 73rd Amendment to the Constitution proved as a watershed in the
history of the status and empowerment of rural women. The Amendment
passed by the Government and adopted by the States in the year 1994,
provided reservation not less than one – third of seats for women at the local
government level. As a result one million women have come in so far as
decisions making at grassroots levels. It also provides for reservation of one
– third of the total population of the total members of offices of chairpersons
in the Panchayats at all levels. As a result of the reservation of seats formal
participation of women in politics has gone up considerably.

The present scenario reveals the emerging pattern of women leadership

keeping in view their socio-economic and political background. The
introduction of 50 percent reservation for women has been a turning point
for the rural institutions. The women of upper castes and classes, wives of
big landlords and women from influential families, educated women or in
other words elite upper and middle class women tend to get positions in the
Panchayats.

The 73rd Amendment of the Constitution involves women in the political

process at the grassroots level institutions by providing reservation of the
seats. Although the reservation has helped women in political participation
yet the elected representatives are still not aware about the policies and
programmes of the Panchayati Raj Institutions. Prior to the 73 rd
Constitutional Amendment, the status of leaders of the Panchayati Raj
Institutions especially women was not so important, but after the passage of
this Act it has been observed that status of elected representatives has
improved in many ways. Gram Panchayats have been given 29 subjects in
the 11th scheduled and a separate finance commission for the improvement
of financial positions of these institutions is to be constituted every five
years. The weaker sections of the society have also been brought in the main
stream. Besides this, provision of reservation for women at the grassroots
level has improved the status and prestige of all the leader of the Panchayati
Raj Institutions.
Women through the ages remained the backward section of the society. It
was only after independence that care was taken to improve the condition of
women especially the rural women. But the 73rd Constitutional Amendment
Act, 1994 provided one third of the total seats for women and also for the
Chairpersons in Panchayats at all levels. It has proved a milestone in the
representation of women at the grassroots institutions. It has provided
opportunity to a large number of women to enter into the politics. It has
enhanced the participation of women especially the weaker and the under
privileged section of the society.

Thus the 73rd Constitutional Amendment has opened the door for women at
grassroots level to involve and participate in the democratic process.

ARTICLE 243 –D: RESERVATION OF SEATS:

• Article 243 – D (3) provides that not less than one-third (including
the number of seats reserved for women belonging to the Scheduled
Castes and the Scheduled Tribes) of the total number of seats to be
filled by direct election in every Panchayat shall be reserved for
women and such seats may be allotted by rotation to different
constituencies in the Panchayats.

• Article 243 – D (4) provides that the offices of the Chairpersons in

the Panchayats at the village or any other level shall be reserved for
the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes and women is such
manner as the legislature of the State may, by law, provide.
Provided further that not less than one-third of the total number of offices of
chairpersons in the Panchayats at each level shall be reserved for women.

ARTICLE 243 – T: RESERVATION OF SEATS

• Article 243 – T (3) provides that not less than one-third (including
the number of seats reserved for women belonging to the Scheduled
Castes and the Scheduled Tribes) of the total number of seats to be
filled by direct election in every Municipality shall be reserved for
women and such seats may be allotted by rotation to different
constituencies in a Municipality.