Supreme Court Flags Discriminatory Attitude Towards Women Representatives: 'Acknowledge Women's Struggles In Occupying Public Offices'

The Supreme Court in the case Manisha Ravindra Panpatil Versus The State Of Maharashtra And Ors.observed and has granted relief to a female Sarpach of a village who was disqualified on technical grounds.

The Supreme Court in the case observed and has raised concerns about the discriminatory attitudes which permeate through all levels of administration towards women representatives.

The court observed that the present matter relates to the removal of an elected representative should not be taken lightly, especially when it concerns women in rural areas.

The court stated that, 'This being all the more concerning when the representative in question is a woman and elected in the reservation quota, thereby which indicates a systemic pattern of prejudicial treatment, permeating through all levels of administrative functioning.' The court in the case observed and has opined that this being a classic case where the village residents of Gram Panchayat, Vichkheda situated in Jalgaon District of · Maharashtra found it difficult to accept that the appellant, a woman, had been elected as their Sarpanch. They likely found it even harder to come to terms with the fact that a female Sarpanch would have the authority to make decisions on their behalf and that they would be required to follow the directives of her.