Current Status
- Rising Electoral Participation of Women
- Women constitute nearly half of the electorate in most States, and slightly more in Kerala.
- Over the past three decades, women’s voter turnout has consistently increased, often matching or exceeding that of men.
- Assam: Gender gap improved from –1.48% (1991) to +0.41% (2021).
- Kerala: Women’s turnout exceeded men in 2016 (+2.17%) and remained nearly equal in 2021 (+0.09%).
- West Bengal: Women’s turnout surpassed men since 2011; gap stood at +0.38% (2021).
- Tamil Nadu: Near parity achieved by 2011; minimal gap of –0.27% (2021).
- The above figures indicates a clear trend towards gender parity in political participation.
- Persistent Underrepresentation in Legislatures
- Despite high participation, women’s representation in State Assemblies remains consistently low.
- Assam:
- Increased from 3.97% (1991) to 11.11% (2011)
- Declined to 4.76% (2021) (6/126 seats)
- Kerala:
- Stable but low representation between 5–9%
- Only 7.86% (11/140 seats) in 2021
- West Bengal:
- Improved from 7.14% (1991) to 13.61% (2021)
- Highest among these States with 40 women MLAs (294 seats)
- Tamil Nadu:
- Declined from 13.68% (1991) to 3.85% (1996)
- Recovered slightly to 5.13% (2021) (12/234 seats)
- This highlights a structural gap between participation and representation.
Barriers to Women’s Political Participation
- Institutional and Structural Barriers
- Political parties act as gatekeepers and often deny tickets citing winnability concerns, despite comparable success rates of women.
- Candidate selection processes are dominated by informal male networks, limiting women’s access to leadership roles.
- Even when elected, women are frequently assigned less influential portfolios, restricting their role in core decision-making.
- Economic Barriers
- Electoral politics remains capital-intensive, disadvantaging women due to limited access to wealth and campaign financing.
- Women are often excluded from donor networks and funding channels that support political campaigns.
- Socio-Cultural Barriers
- Patriarchal norms continue to restrict women to the private sphere, discouraging participation in public life.
- Burden of unpaid care work limits time and opportunity for political engagement.
- Instances of proxy representation, such as the “Sarpanch Pati” phenomenon, weaken genuine empowerment.
- Hostile Political Environment
- Violence, intimidation, and criminalisation discourage women from entering politics.
- Women leaders often face online harassment, character attacks, and digital abuse, creating psychological barriers.
- Capacity and Systemic Barriers
- Limited access to political training, mentorship, and networks restricts women’s leadership development.
- The First-Past-The-Post system favours established male candidates, reducing opportunities for women entrants.
India’s Initiatives to Promote Women’s Political Participation
- Constitutional and Legal Measures
- The 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments (1992) mandate 33% reservation for women in PRIs and ULBs.
- More than 20 States have increased reservation to 50%, strengthening grassroots participation.
- India has over 1.4 million elected women representatives at the local level.
- The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023 provides 33% reservation in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies. Its implementation will follow the 2027 Census and delimitation, and remain effective for 15 years.
- Institutional and Electoral Initiatives
- The Election Commission’s SVEEP programme promotes voter awareness and enhances women’s participation.
- “Sakhi” polling booths create a safe and inclusive environment for women voters.
- Special registration drives focus on first-time women voters and those migrating after marriage.
- Capacity Building Measures
- Training programmes by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and NCW enhance governance and leadership skills.
- Political and Social Initiatives
- Some political parties have voluntarily increased women’s candidature in elections.
- Self-Help Groups (SHGs) promote financial independence and act as platforms for grassroots leadership development.
Measures to Strengthen Women’s Political Participation
- Legal and Institutional Reforms
- Introduce enforceable inner-party quotas for women in organisational and decision-making positions.
- Expand definition of corrupt practices to include gender-based digital abuse and misinformation.
- Electoral System Reforms
- Consider revival of dual-member constituencies to ensure representation without displacing existing leadership.
- Financial Empowerment
- Provide incentives for political funding directed towards women candidates and leadership programmes.
- Administrative Safeguards
- Prevent proxy governance by ensuring direct control of elected representatives, especially at grassroots level.
- Institutional Innovation
- Encourage formation of shadow cabinets with women leaders to enhance visibility and governance experience.
Conclusion
- Women in India have transitioned from passive voters to active political participants, strengthening democratic engagement. However, meaningful empowerment requires bridging the gap between participation and representation through structural reforms. A more inclusive political system, supported by legal safeguards and social transformation, is essential for achieving equitable and representative governance.
