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It’s unlikely that a government order can change social practices, but for whatever it’s worth, the Chhattisgarh government has issued instructions to officials to ensure that no husbands should be allowed to interfere in the running of panchayats headed by their wives. The circular, issued to all district collectors in the state, says that if husbands continue to interfere in official matters, the wives will have to be removed from the elected office. The circular follows several complaints received about the increased role of “sarpanchpatis (husband of the sarpanch)”.