Allahabad High Court Slams Practice of Husbands Acting as Proxies for Women Pradhans in Uttar Pradesh

The Allahabad High Court has criticised the practice of husbands acting as proxies for women pradhans in Uttar Pradesh, observing that such interference undermines the objective of providing reservation for women in politics.

The Allahabad High Court has criticized the practice of husbands acting as proxies for women pradhans in Uttar Pradesh, observing that such interference undermines the objective of providing reservation for women in politics.

Pradhanpati System Undermines Women Empowerment

The court made the observation while dismissing a writ petition filed by a pradhanpati husband of a woman village head. Justice Saurabh Shyam Shamshery said that a pradhanpati has no business to interfere with the working of gram sabha.

The term Pradhanpati is very popular and widely used in Uttar Pradesh. It is used for the husband of a woman Pradhan. Despite being an unauthorized authority, Pradhanpati, usually undertakes the work of a woman Pradhan, i.e., his wife,” the court said.

There are many instances where a woman Pradhan only acts like a rubber stamp and for all practical purposes, all major decisions are taken by the so-called Pradhanpati, and the elected representative just acts like a mute spectator. The present writ petition is a glaring example of such a situation, it observed.

Court Dismisses Petition, Imposes Cost

The writ petition was filed by Gaon Sabha, village Madpuri in Nagina tehsil of Bijnor district through its pradhan Karmjeet Kaur. The writ petition was not accompanied by any resolution in favor of the elected pradhan authorizing her husband to file this writ petition but the affidavit accompanied with the petition was sworn by Sukhdev Singh, the husband of Kaur.

In the capacity of Pradhan, the petitioner has no power to delegate her rights, duties, and obligations to her husband or any other person, arising out of her elected post, the court said.

The pairokar, i.e., Pradhanpati has no business to interfere with the working of Gaon Sabha. If such an act is permitted it will not only frustrate the objective of women's empowerment but also the object of providing specific reservation to women to come forward and join the mainstream of politics and increase their participation in the social, economic, and cultural growth of the nation, the court added.

Justice Shamshery said the court is aware that there are women Pradhans in Uttar Pradesh, who are exercising their power, rights, duties, and legal obligations effectively and are doing very good work for the village concerned.

However, the present case does not appear to be such, the court said.

In view of the above, the writ petition is dismissed with a cost of Rs 5,000 each to be paid by petitioner Karmjeet Kaur and her husband, Sukhdev Singh pairokar in the present writ petition by-demand draft from their respective bank accounts in favor of the Registrar General of this court within two weeks.

Court Orders Action Against Proxy Husband

The court also said that a copy of the order to be sent to Bijnor district magistrate, so that Sukhdev Singh shall be barred from entering the office of Gaon Sabha concerned in the capacity of pradhanpati as well as to act as a representative of pradhan for the rest of her present term of office.

A copy of this order shall also be sent to the State Election Commission so that it may consider issuing a circular for all candidates for future elections, cautioning them to be careful in exercising their powers, functions, and duties as a representative of the village not as a mere rubber stamp of her husband or relatives in the case of women Pradhan, the court said.