The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 mandates reservation for women in Panchayats at all levels (village, block, district) to the extent of not less than ______ of total seats, with rotation of reserved seats.

Answer: 33%

Women's reservation in Panchayats: (a) 73rd Amendment (1992): Article 243D mandates reservation for women in Panchayats: (i) Not less than one-third (33%) of total seats at all levels (village, block, district), (ii) One-third of seats reserved for SC/ST also reserved for women from those categories, (iii) Rotation: Reserved seats rotated after each election to ensure broad participation, (b) Applications: (i) Women's participation: Over 14 lakh women elected to Panchayats since 1993; increased political participation, leadership development, (ii) Policy impact: Women Sarpanches prioritize water, sanitation, education, health; different governance priorities, (iii) Empowerment: Political participation builds confidence, skills, social status for rural women, (c) Challenges: (i) Proxy leadership: 'Sarpanch patis' (husbands) exercising power on behalf of women Sarpanches, (ii) Capacity building: Training needed for women representatives on governance, legal procedures, (iii) Social barriers: Patriarchal norms may limit women's effective participation, voice in Panchayats, (d) Illustrates transformative federalism: Constitutional amendment operationalizes gender justice at grassroots; reservation enables women's political participation, influencing local governance priorities.