New Delhi, March 19 -- Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha on Thursday raised concerns over the practice of "sarpanch pati" or "panchayat pati," where women elected to reserved Panchayat seats often serve as figureheads while real power is exercised by their male relatives.

He urged the government to ensure that women representatives in local bodies can exercise genuine authority as intended under the 73rd Constitutional Amendment.

"How many of you have heard the terms "sarpanch pati" or "panchayat pati"? In many places, a Panchayat seat reserved for women ends up being contested by the wife, daughter, sister or daughter-in-law of a male politician, while real authority continues to be exercised by him. This is why these ...