The Rise of Women in the Lok Sabha: A Journey Towards Empowerment

Representation of Women in the Lok Sabha

The representation of women in the Lok Sabha has seen a notable increase since the first parliamentary election in 1952, underscoring the ongoing efforts to promote gender equality within Indian politics.

1. Historical Growth

• 1952: 22 women MPs out of 489 (4.5%)
• 1957: 27 women MPs out of 494 (5.5%)
• 2019 (17th Lok Sabha): 78 women MPs out of 543 (14.4%)
• 2024 (18th Lok Sabha): 74 women MPs out of 543 (13.6%)

2. Party-wise Comparison (2019 vs. 2024)

• BJP:
  • 2019: 12.6% women candidates, 74.6% success rate
  • 2024: 15.7% women candidates, 44.9% success rate
  • Elected women decreased from 41 to 31
• Congress:
  • 2019: 52 women candidates (12.3%)
  • 2024: 41 women candidates (12.3%), 18.8% success rate
  • Elected women increased from 6 to 13
• Trinamool Congress:
  • 2019: 23 women candidates, high success rate
  • 2024: 12 women candidates, 91.6% success rate (11 elected)
• Samajwadi Party:
  • 14 women candidates, 5 elected (35.7% success rate)

3. Women MPs Proportion in Parties

• Trinamool Congress:
  • 2019: 40.9%
  • 2024: 37.9%
• BJP:
  • 2019: 13.5%
  • 2024: 12.9%
• Congress:
  • 2019: 11.5%
  • 2024: 13.1%

4. Significance

• The increase in the number of women MPs from 1952 to 2024 signifies progress toward gender equality in Indian politics.
• Parties like the Trinamool Congress and BJP have exhibited varying levels of commitment to fielding women candidates, impacting their overall representation.
• Higher representation of women can influence legislative priorities, emphasizing issues such as women’s rights, healthcare, and education.
• The successful election of women MPs enhances the visibility of female leadership, encouraging more women to engage in politics.

5. Women’s Voting Patterns (2024)

• West Bengal: 53% for Trinamool, 33% for BJP
• Karnataka: 52% for Congress, 46% for BJP/NDA
• Bihar: 50% for NDA, 37% for INDIA bloc
• Haryana: 49% for Congress/INDIA, 42% for BJP/NDA
• Madhya Pradesh: 60% for BJP, 34% for Congress
• Delhi: 57% for BJP, 41% for INDIA
• Rajasthan: 55% for BJP, 39% for Congress
• Uttar Pradesh and Telangana: Slight tilt towards INDIA bloc
• Maharashtra: Marginal tilt towards NDA

The Trinamool Congress has notably fielded a significant number of women candidates with a high success rate, reflecting substantial progress in female representation in Indian politics. However, the overall proportion of women MPs remains relatively low compared to their male counterparts, highlighting the need for continued efforts to improve gender parity in political representation.