Jat panchayat prohibits married women in 15 villages from using smartphones from January 26

When the world is racing on the highway of connectivity, smartphones will be prohibited for married women belonging to a sect of the Jat community in Rajasthan’s Jalore district from Republic Day in 2026. The diktat was issued at a caste panchayat held in Ghazipur village on December 21.

The panchayat ordered that no daughter-in-law or young woman from 15 villages in the Bhinmal-Khanpur area carry camera-enabled mobile phones to weddings, public gatherings, and even while visiting neighbours, from January 26. They can use only basic keypad phones for voice calls.

The Sundhamata Patti panchayat of the Chaudhary clan took the decision “with consensus”, citing concerns of mobile addiction and the impact of screentime on children’s eyesight. Panch Himmataram read out the proposal, which was passed as a resolution after discussions among all panchayat members and elders, who agreed to implement the rule.

‘Allowed for academic purposes’

Community head Sujanaram Chaudhary presided over the panchayat meeting. The resolution stated that girls pursuing education would be allowed to use smartphones at home “strictly for academic purposes”, but would be barred from carrying the devices to social events, weddings or neighbourhood visits.

Mr. Chaudhary later said the decision had been taken because children often used mobile phones of women in their household, which affected their eyesight due to prolonged screen exposure. “Some women give their phones to children to keep them distracted, allowing them to focus on their daily chores,” he said.

The ban will be enforced in the villages of Ghazipur, Pawali, Kalda, Manojiyawas, Rajikawas, Datlawas, Rajpura, Kodi, Sidrodi, Aldi, Ropsi, Khanadewal, Savidhar, Hathmi Ki Dhani, and Khanpur.

‘Attempt to protect family honour’

A video footage of the proclamation being read out at the panchayat meeting was circulated online, drawing sharp criticism from social activists and women’s rights groups. Though the mechanism for the decision’s enforcement remained unclear, it was seen as an attempt to protect family honour and privacy in the matrimonial homes.

An X user advised the women of 15 villages to disobey the diktat as a mass protest. “What can the men do? Put all the women in jail? Good luck with that. This is so ridiculous,” she said.

Another social media user asked the women to “definitely accept” the ban, with the condition that the men have to stop consuming paan, bidis, cigarettes, hookah and alcohol, and not keep moustaches.