For all the speeches, slogans and celebratory posts on International Women’s Day, the reality of women’s political representation in India remains stark: women make up barely 10% of candidates and elected representatives across the country.
A report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) reveals that Indian politics continues to be overwhelmingly male-dominated. The study, titled Women’s Political Participation and Representation in India 2026, analysed data from the latest Lok Sabha elections 2024 and recent state assembly elections.
Out of 51,708 candidates who contested Lok Sabha and assembly elections across India, only 5,095 — or about 10% — were women.
The numbers inside legislatures are no better. Of the 4,666 MPs and MLAs combined, just 464 are women, again roughly 10%, highlighting a glaring gender imbalance in political representation.
Lok Sabha numbers tell the same story
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, only 800 of the 8,360 candidates were women — just 9.6%.
Even more striking, 152 parliamentary constituencies (28%) did not have a single female candidate, underscoring how deeply entrenched male dominance remains in electoral politics.
In the current Lok Sabha, 74 of the 543 MPs are women, translating to about 14% representation.
Among states, West Bengal has the highest number of women MPs (11), followed by Uttar Pradesh (7), Maharashtra (7) and Madhya Pradesh (6).
Assembly elections: no state crosses 15%
State-level politics paints a similarly bleak picture. No state or Union Territory recorded more than 15% women candidates in assembly elections.
The highest share of female candidates was seen in Delhi and Odisha (14%), followed by Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh (13%), and Tripura (12%).
Wealthy but still few
The ADR analysis also found that 14 women legislators are billionaires.
Collectively, female MPs and MLAs hold assets worth ₹8,234 crore, with an average wealth of ₹237 crore per legislator.
Grassroots governance shows a different picture
Interestingly, women’s participation is far stronger at the grassroots level.
In 2022, women accounted for about 44% of representatives in local self-government institutions, with over 1.37 million women serving in panchayats and municipalities.
Reservation law still waiting to kick in
The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, passed in September 2023, mandates 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha, state assemblies and the Delhi Assembly.
However, its implementation is tied to the next census and delimitation exercise. The report notes that the timely conduct of the census planned for 2026–27 will be crucial if the quota is to be implemented before the 2029 general elections.
Until then, the report suggests, India’s political arena will continue to remain overwhelmingly male — despite the rhetoric of women’s empowerment.
Also Read: From Hema Malini to Priyanka Gandhi: Male Gaze is a Reality of Indian Politics, Both Sides of the Aisle https://www.vibesofindia.com/from-hema-malini-to-priyanka-gandhi-male-gaze-is-a-reality-of-indian-politics-both-sides-of-the-aisle/
