New Delhi: In the initial two phases of the Lok Sabha elections, women represented a mere eight per cent of the total 2,823 candidates, a figure that political activists argue is indicative of a broader issue of gender bias, rendering discussions on women’s empowerment somewhat superficial.
The first phase, which took place on April 19, saw 135 women among 1,625 candidates, while the second phase on April 26 had 100 women out of 1,198 candidates. Tamil Nadu led the first phase with 76 women candidates, constituting eight per cent of the state’s total candidates. In the second phase, Kerala had the highest number of women candidates at 24.
Analysing party-wise data, the Congress fielded 44 women and the BJP 69 across both phases. This disparity has drawn criticism from political analysts and activists who question the delay in implementing the Women Reservation Act as a means to proactively increase women’s participation.
Dr Sushila Ramaswamy, an associate professor at Delhi University’s Jesus and Mary College, emphasised the need for political parties to actively promote women’s candidacy, citing the UK’s Labour Party’s success with seat reservations for women. Dr Iftekhar Ahmad Ansari of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) echoed this sentiment, calling for structural reforms to ensure equal opportunities for women in politics and highlighting the importance of party leadership in fostering gender diversity.
Farhat Jahan, a retired faculty member at AMU’s Abdullah Women’s College, pointed out that women’s political representation requires systemic changes in party dynamics and electoral processes, as well as gender-sensitive policies. She suggested that mentorship programs, capacity-building workshops, and awareness campaigns could empower women to participate more actively in elections and pursue leadership roles.
Prof Mohammad Aftab Alam from AMU’s political science department discussed the societal challenges women face in forming independent political opinions and the tendency to relegate elected women to symbolic roles. The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) stands out as the only party with a policy of providing 33 per cent of its tickets to women, a move lauded by Meera Parida, state vice-president of the BJD’s Biju Mahila Dal, who called for a cultural shift to view women as leaders and decision-makers.
Both the BJP and Congress have included women-centric initiatives in their manifestos, with the BJP promising to implement the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (Women’s Reservation Act) and integrate women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) into the service sector, and the Congress pledging legislative reforms for women’s empowerment, including the immediate enactment of the Women’s Reservation Act. However, these promises have not yet resulted in a significant increase in the number of women candidates.
Alka Lamba, chief of the Congress’ women’s wing, underscored the party’s commitment to gender equality across sectors and set ambitious targets for women’s representation in leadership roles. As the Lok Sabha elections continue, the focus remains on political parties to demonstrate their commitment to gender equality and to monitor whether the upcoming phases show a meaningful shift towards greater gender inclusivity, particularly following the passage of the Women’s Reservation Act.
The Lok Sabha polls, which began on April 19, will be held in seven phases, with the final phase scheduled for June 1 and the vote count on June 4. The remaining phases are set for May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1. The lack of women candidates, despite vocal support for their empowerment, suggests a deeper issue of gender bias within political systems, a concern that will be closely watched as the elections proceed. agencies