Women in Madhya Pradesh Win Panchayat Elections, but Male Relatives Take Oath

The elected women were later asked to reassemble for another oath-taking ceremony and the oath was readministered.

In Madhya Pradesh, husbands and male kin took oath instead of the elected female representatives who won in the three-tiered panchayat elections.

(Photo: Accessed by The Quint)

A scheduled caste woman was elected as the sarpanch after a three-tiered panchayat election was held in Gaisabad Panchayat of Hatta block in Damoh district, Madhya Pradesh between 25 June and 8 July. Eleven other women were also elected as members of the panchayat in the elections.

But these elected female representatives were nowhere to be found at the oath-taking ceremony.

Their husbands and other male family relatives participated and took oath, instead of them.

The village secretary assisted in the swearing-in of the husbands and male kin.

After a video of the oath-taking ceremony went viral on the internet, Ajay Srivastava, CEO of the Zila Panchayat, ordered an enquiry into the matter.

The elected women were then asked to reassemble for another oath-taking ceremony and the CEO of Janpad Panchayat readministered the oath to them.

"The matter came to our notice from the Gaisabad village where unlawful activity took place...the CEO Janpad was asked to readminister the oath and has been asked to submit a report on the incident. Those responsible will face strict action," said Srivastava.