KHAP PANCHAYAT- TRADITION V/S MODERNITY

Abstract

A Khap is a community organisation representing a clan or a group of related clans. They are found mostly in northern India, particularly among the Jat people ofWestern Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, although historically the term has also been used among other communities. A Khap Panchayat is an assembly  of Khap elders, and a Sarv Khap is an assembly of many Khap Panchayats.Khaps are not affiliated with the formally elected government bodies and is instead concerned with the affairs of the Khap it represents. It is not affiliated with the democratically elected local assemblies that are also termed Panchayat. A Khap Panchayat has no official government recognition or authority, but can exert   significant    social    influence    within    the    community    it represents. The Baliyan Khap as led by Mahendra Singh Tikait until 2011 is one that has gained particular media attention. Khaps are very old institutions and have their origin in the 14th or the 15th centuries. During this time, the khaps were well established in the Jat community dominated areas which form the present day Rajasthan, Haryana, Western Uttar Pradesh (Sangwan, 2008). It is believed that the Jats, reached the region between Sutlej and Yamuna rivers in the 11th century after they were displaced from Sindh. The community was pastoral at first and then settled down to cultivation and eventually as agriculturalists..