Women in Lok Sabha: A Growing Influence Amid Challenges

In the recent elections, 74 women have won seats in the Lok Sabha, a slight decrease from 78 in 2019. West Bengal leads with 11 female MPs. Despite slow progress, India still lags behind countries like South Africa, the UK, and the US in female parliamentary representation. The women’s reservation bill is yet to come into effect.

In a significant yet slight dip, 74 women have secured seats in the Lok Sabha, down from 78 elected in 2019. West Bengal stands out, contributing 11 female MPs to the Lower House.

The BJP led the charge with the highest number of women candidates, fielding 69, followed by the Congress at 41. This marks the first election since the women's reservation bill was passed in Parliament, intending to reserve one-third of seats in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies for women. However, the law has not yet been implemented.

An analysis by PRS points out that 16 percent of these women MPs are under 40 years old. Notably, 41 percent have previous Lok Sabha experience, while one MP has served in the Rajya Sabha.

Despite the progress, India still trails behind nations like South Africa, the UK, and the US in women's representation in Parliament. Currently, 13.62 percent of the 18th Lok Sabha members are women, one of the highest since 1952, though lower than the previous Lok Sabha's 14 percent.

This election saw notable wins from candidates like BJP's Hema Malini and TMC's Mahua Moitra, while newer faces such as Kangana Ranaut and Misha Bharati made headlines with their victories. Additionally, emerging young politicians like Priya Saroj and Iqra Choudhary achieved early successes.

Some parties, such as the Naam Tamilar Katchi, achieved equal gender representation with 50 percent women candidates. Others, like the Lok Janshakti Party and the Nationalist Congress Party, had significant female representation at 40 percent.

The overall political landscape is evolving, yet, there remains a clear need for more substantial representation to match international standards.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)