00937pab a2200145 454500008004000000100001800040245006000058260000900118300001200127362001000139520057200149650001400721650002200735773003400757180718b2009   xxu||||| |||| 00| 0 eng d  aBuch, Nirmala  aReservation for women in panchayats: a sop in disguise?  c2009  ap.8-10.  a3 Oct  aThe decision by the union cabinet to raise reservation for women from one-third to 50% of seats at all three levels of panchayats is a welcome one. However, this decision was taken without addressing the problems caused by mandatory rotation of reserved seats, which women have been drawing attention to and the impasse over the Women's Reservation Bill remains. The latter in particular suggests that the 50% reservation in panchayats is a sop to cover up the government's inability to ensure reservation for women in Parliament and state legislatures. - Reproduced.  aPanchayat  aWomen in politics  aEconomic and Political Weekly