Gender imbalance in Lok Sabha elections: Just 8% women candidates contested first two phases of polls

NEW DELHI: In the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, the stark underrepresentation of women candidates has ignited discussions on gender bias within the political landscape. With women comprising a mere eight percent of the total candidates in the first two phases, concerns about the genuineness of political rhetoric surrounding women's empowerment have come to the forefront.

In the first phase on April 19 and the second phase on April 26, out of a total of 2,823 candidates, only 235 were women. The low representation of women candidates has raised questions about the reluctance of political parties to proactively promote gender diversity in their candidate selection processes.

Tamil Nadu led the count in the first phase with 76 women candidates, constituting eight percent of the total candidates in the state. Kerala, on the other hand, had the highest number of women candidates at 24 in the second phase.

Despite parties like the Congress fielding 44 women candidates and the BJP fielding 69 in the first two phases combined, the gender imbalance persists.

Political analysts and activists have criticized parties for not taking proactive measures to promote women's candidacy. Dr Sushila Ramaswamy from Delhi University said political parties should take concrete steps to promote women's candidacy, "Political parties should have been more proactive and fielded more women candidates," she underscored, citing the effectiveness of seat reservations for women within party structures, as seen in the UK's Labour Party, as reported by PTI.

Dr Iftekhar Ahmad Ansari from Aligarh Muslim University stressed the need for structural reforms to ensure equal opportunities for women in politics. He underscored the pivotal role of party leadership in promoting gender diversity and urged parties to prioritize gender inclusion in candidate selection.

Farhat Jahan, a retired faculty member from AMU, emphasized the necessity of systemic changes in party dynamics and electoral processes to address the issue of women's political representation comprehensively.

While both major parties, the BJP and the Congress, have listed women-centric initiatives in their manifestos, the translation of these commitments into substantial numbers of women contesting elections remains a challenge.

As the Lok Sabha elections progress, the spotlight is on political parties to demonstrate tangible commitment towards fostering women's participation and representation in governance. With upcoming poll phases scheduled until June 1, observers are keenly monitoring whether there will be a meaningful shift towards greater gender inclusivity in the political landscape.

The elections, spanning seven phases, commenced on April 19, with the counting of votes scheduled for June 4.