Advanced International Journal for Research

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Between Reservation and Representation: Structural Constraints Faced by Scheduled Caste Women Panchayat Representatives in Guntur District

Author(s) Mr. Nalivelugu Sunil Kumar, Prof. Ch. Swaroopa Rani
Country India
Abstract This article examines the structural constraints that prevent Scheduled Caste women elected to panchayat institutions in Guntur district from exercising substantive political authority. While constitutional reservation ensures their numerical presence, deeply embedded structures of caste hierarchy, patriarchal control, and economic dependence systematically undermine their capacity to function as autonomous representatives. Drawing on field research with SC women representatives, the study analyzes how proxy leadership by male relatives, institutional silencing through discriminatory practices, economic vulnerability, and social control mechanisms create a gulf between formal inclusion and meaningful representation. The analysis reveals that these constraints operate not as isolated barriers but as interconnected systems that mutually reinforce marginalization. The article argues that addressing this gap requires confronting fundamental power relations rather than merely improving training or awareness programs, situating the struggle for SC women's political empowerment within broader contestations over caste, gender, and democratic inclusion in contemporary India.
Keywords Keywords: Structural constraints, proxy representation, caste discrimination, panchayat governance, Andhra Pradesh, democratic exclusion
Published In Volume 6, Issue 6, November-December 2025
Published On 2025-12-30
DOI https://doi.org/10.63363/aijfr.2025.v06i06.2746
Short DOI https://doi.org/hbhk39
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E-ISSN 3048-7641
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