Women's increasing electoral participation in India has not been matched by proportional representation in legislative bodies. Examine the structural reasons for this gap and evalu

GS1 Women Empowerment
Women's increasing electoral participation in India has not been matched by proportional representation in legislative bodies. Examine the structural reasons for this gap and evaluate the Women's Reservation Bill as a corrective measure.

Examine

  • 15 marks
  • 8 min
  • 250 words
  • Medium

The Hindu

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INTRODUCTION

  • India has witnessed a steady rise in women’s voter turnout, even surpassing men in several states, yet their representation in legislatures remains low (~15% in Lok Sabha, 2024).
  • This reflects a structural disconnect between political participation and political power.

STRUCTURAL REASONS FOR THE REPRESENTATION GAP

Patriarchal Political Structures

  • Political parties act as gatekeepers and often deny tickets to women due to perceived “winnability” concerns.
  • Dynastic politics limits entry of first-generation women leaders.

Electoral System Constraints

  • First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) system discourages risk-taking by parties, reinforcing male-dominated candidate selection.

Socio-economic Barriers

  • Lower access to financial resources, networks, and political capital.
  • Gendered division of labour restricts time and mobility for political engagement.

Institutional and Cultural Factors

  • Lack of internal party democracy and absence of mandatory quotas in candidate selection.
  • Persistence of gender stereotypes and violence in politics (e.g., harassment during campaigns).

WOMEN’S RESERVATION BILL (NARI SHAKTI VANDAN ADHINIYAM, 2023): EVALUATION

Salient Features

  • Reserves 33% of seats in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies for women.
  • Includes sub-reservation for SC/ST women.
  • Linked to delimitation exercise.

Potential Benefits

  • Ensures a critical mass, improving descriptive and substantive representation.
  • Evidence from Panchayati Raj (73rd/74th Amendments) shows improved governance outcomes (Chattopadhyay & Duflo, 2004).
  • Can shift policy priorities towards health, education, and welfare.

Limitations and Concerns

  • Implementation contingent on delimitation → delays impact.
  • Rotation of reserved seats may weaken accountability and continuity.
  • Does not address intra-party discrimination or candidate selection biases.

WAY FORWARD

  • Mandate internal party quotas for ticket distribution.
  • Provide financial and capacity-building support for women candidates.
  • Ensure timely delimitation and clarity on implementation roadmap.

CONCLUSION

  • The gap stems from deep-rooted structural and institutional barriers; while the Women’s Reservation Bill is a necessary corrective, its effectiveness depends on complementary political and social reforms.