Women Councilors in Urban Local Governments 5. The Findings The analysis of the data collected is presented in the following sections: • Profile of the Respondents • Entry of women as councilors in the Municipalities • Women Councilors: Supports and Constraints • Women as Councilors: Expectations • Women as Councilors: Role Clarity • Women in Councils: Council Meetings • Women in Councils: Party Constraints only one was elected for more than three times. While none were uneducated, 17 had studied in High Schools, 14 were degree holders and 2 were even post-graduates. However, inspite of their education, only 2 respondents were employed and the rest were unemployed. Only 8 respondents said that they were into business and the remaining were not associated with any business venture. But interestingly, 30 of the respondents were involved in associations or service organizations. While 22 of the interviewed women councilors belonged to the Congress Party, 19 belonged to the Bharateeya Janata Party, 5 belonged to the Janata Dal(Secular), one belonged to the Janata dal(United) and one did not belong to any party. • Women in Councils: State and Bureaucracy • Women in Councils: Expectations for better performance Profile of the Respondents In all 49 women councilors were interviewed. Of them six were in the age group of 20-30 and 31 were in the age group of 30-50. While 39 were married, only one had separated from her husband and only 3 were widows. 36 were elected for the first time, 11 were elected for the second time and Entry of women as councilors in the Municipalities 74 th Amendment to the Constitution: Women have always been participating in the governance of the country ever since independence. Many had entered municipal councils also. But their participation was scanty. Today many factors facilitate the entry of women in the municipal councils. The foremost among them is the reservation provided to women under the provisions of the 74 th Amendment to the Constitution effected in the 9