# Chhattisgarh bans ‘pradhan pati’ proxy rule in panchayats 2026-08-13T00:14:34+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Chhattisgarh has banned the practice of husbands or male relatives acting as de facto leaders for elected women panchayat members, a common phenomenon known as "pradhan pati" or "sarpanch pati". As many as 14 lakh women hold panchayat seats across India, and the Union government runs awareness campaigns against such proxy leadership. New Indian Express reports that a Supreme Court-ordered panel in 2023 suggested mentoring systems, anonymous helplines, and rewards for verified complaints. States with 50% women reservation in panchayats, including Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, are urged to implement training programmes on financial management and the panel's full recommendations. ## Coverage - newindianexpress.com Tags: Chhattisgarh, local governance, panchayati raj, proxy leadership, Supreme Court panel, women representation Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/chhattisgarh-bans-pradhan-pati-proxy-rule-in-panchayats/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/chhattisgarh-bans-pradhan-pati-proxy-rule-in-panchayats/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.