Participation of women in politics since independence in India :in reference of the general election Amandeep kaur1 and Jyoti Rani2 1
Assistant Professor, dept. of Political science, Bhai Bahlo Khalsa girls College, Phaphre Bhai ke (Mansa). 2
Assistant Professor, dept. of Hindi, Bhai Bahlo Khalsa girls College, Phaphre Bhai ke (Mansa).
ABSTRACT
The Multi-Phase Lok Sabha elections for 16th Lok Sabha were held in 28 states and 7 union territories. The 36 das lon! "otin! #rocess be!an on 7th $#ril 2%1& and concluded on 12 Ma. The elections concluded with a "oter turnout of 66 #ercent which is hi!hest recorded after 1'8&. (o)en*s re#resentation has )ar!inall increased to 11.2 in 2%1&+ fro) 1%.' #er cent of 1,th Lok Sabha. These These elections will be re)e)bered re)e)bered in ndian ndian histor histor for tectonic shifts in ndian #olitics. or+ or+ /0P e)er!ed as a sin!le lar!est #art to #ower+ #ower+ on!ress #art*s #art*s defeat+ so)e re!ional #arties flourished and others filed out+ !rowin! sie and i)#ort i)#ortanc ancee of the )iddle )iddle class+ class+ leader leadershi shi# # factor factor “Modi wave”, and )edia e#osure on elections. (hat re)ained unchan!ed or not "er drastic is the #artici#ation and #resence of wo)en in ndian #olitics. ndia4s wo)en+ who for) for) &'5 of the #o#ulation+ #o#ulation+ ha"e consistentl been under-re#resented in the Lok Sabha. The elections of 2%1& are no ece#tion. ut of 6&& wo)en candidates+ 61 won seats to the Lower ouse+ onl two )ore than in 2%%'. Present stud )akes an atte)#t to analse wo)en #artici#ation in 16th Lok Sabha elections in ndian states. The stud found that+ low #artici#ation of wo)en should be discussed as )ain a!enda for ensurin! euitable and #artici#ator de)ocrac. The #resent stud atte)#t has been )ade+ how far wo)en candidates ha"e been !i"en re#resentation b national and state le"el #olitical #arties durin! all the !eneral elections held in ndia since inde#endence. n the stud we are tr to find the distribution of seats to wo)an candidates+ their success rate in the election. The #resent stud is based on secondar data+ retrie"ed fro) the official website of the 9lection o))ission of ndia.
KEY WORDS: :ood !o"ernance+ Lok Sabha+ ;e#resentation+ 9lectoral Process+ :eneral
9lections and (o)en (o)en Partici#ation. Partici#ation.
INTR!"TIN:
“e!ocrac" is a go#ern!ent of the people, $" the people, and for the people.%% de!ocrac" is $ased on people. participation of people clears the &'alit" of good go#ernance in ndia half part of pop'lation is o!en $'t their political participation is nill. *o clear this dra$ack so!e political parties do so!e efforts like to introd'ce a $ill ++ &'ota in o'r lok sa$ha (loer ho'se) and ra-"a sa$ha('pper ho'se). *he !ain p'rpose of this $ill to enter the o!en in the political s"ste! of o'r co'ntr".so that o'r constit'tion pro#ides freedo! and e&'alit " to o'r e#er" citien and granted the social, econo!ic, political rights to e#er"one. n the ndian constit'tion article 1/ pro#ide e&'al rights to o!en. ndian o!en proof her at national and international le#el 03 4AK5HM3 PA6* for!er president of 768, PM ndra 9andhi, CM s'chhitre kriplani, -e" lalita, '!a $harti,!a"a$at", #as'ndra ra-e, president prati$a patil etc !an" o!en clear her chair. :o!en e!poer!ent has ala"s $een the top agenda of the !ost of the glo$al de!ocracies. #en the de#eloped nations like 75, apan, or e#en the 'ropean nations ha#enot "et o#erco!e this c'rse. *he de#eloped nations ha#e $een e&'all" fighting this iss'e despiteha#ing e!poered o!en in !an" a"s. n ndian
polit" it as 5aro-ini 6aid' ho led a o!en delegation ith the de!and of
#oting rights to o!en and called on co!!ittee on ece!$er 1;, 1<1=, hich as d'l" $acked $" the then national political stalarts like, Bal 9angadhar *ilak, 0ithal$ai Patel and Moha!!ed Ali innah (0isalakshi Menon, p. 11+)(1). Altho'gh ndia has gron o#er >= "ears old since it attaining independence, $'t if e take a look at the participation and perfor!ance fig'res of the o!en contestants in the general elections of ndia, there fig'res gi#e 's e#er" reason to $elie#e that sit'ation on gro'nd has not changed at all and if e co'nt it as of ha#ing !o#ed fro! $ad to orse it on%t $e inappropriate. *he present st'd" is totall" confined to o!en participation in the polit" of ndia since the inception of the electoral process of the co'ntr". ndia is a socialist sec'lar de!ocratic rep'$lic ith a pop'lation of o#er 1.2 $illion here against >2+ !illion registered !ales there are /;> !illion registered fe!ales ith se? ratio of <@2 fe!ales to per 1 !ales hich at the ti!e of independence ere <@> fe!ales2. *he se? ration in ndian pop'lation reached to its loest e$$ of <2= fe!ales to per 1 !ales hen it ca!e to fore d'ring the 1<<1 cens's. 5ince then the sit'ation has i!pro#ed considera$l" $'t still far less than to its nat'ral se? ratio. *he a$o#e fig'res so!ehere reflect the social standing of ndian
o!en, hich $"
no !eans is en-o"ing it at par ith !ales. *hese fig'res do so!ehere indicate the reasons, need and i!portance thereof in ndian social set'p to ha#e reser#ation for o!en in ndian political str'ct're, res'lting in to introd'ction of o!en%s reser#ations $ill in parlia!ent so as to ens're ++ reser#ation for o!en candidates. Altho'gh the $ill has $een alread" passed in the Da-"a 5a$ha (7pper Ho'se or Ho'se of the Co'ncil) in 21 $'t is still la"ing for the appro#al of the 4ok 5a$ha (4oer Ho'se or the Ho'se of the People), here it is "et to $e ta$led. ndia is a #er" di#erse co'ntr" ha#ing di#ersit" al!ost at e#er" front, $e it social, c'lt'ral, racial, religio's, geographical, ling'istic or e#en ethnic. *his di#ersit" has e&'all" helped in f'rthering the societ" to $eco!e !ore gender $ias. f one section of ndian societ" 'pholds and $elie#es in gi#ing e&'al rights and e&'al opport'nities to o!en folk the other section on the contrar" $elie#es in rating o!en as a second rate h'!an $eing, ho is !ore a se? sla#e, a child $earing !achine, ho !ost of the ti!e is confined to kitchen and in raring and caring of children and cattle. Constit'tion of ndia recognies $oth !en and o!en e&'all" $'t this gets itself ref'ted $" the fact that the need arises for agencies to enforce s'ch pro#isions $e it in the for! of introd'ction of o!en%s reser#ation $ill or other ti!e to ti!e constit'tional pro#isions !ade to sec're o!en rights in al!ost e#er" sphere of their da" to da" life. 7nder this pl'ralistic social set'p of ndia, here o!en fro! one strata en-o"s e#er"thing at par ith !en $'t fro! other strata she is depri#ed of all s'ch pri#ileges e#en after the >= "ears of ndia%s independence, the ndian o!en is still so!ehere reeling 'nder the sla#er" of their on !ale relati#es. n 21@ general elections it ill $e interesting to see ho far !ain strea! political parties ill gi#e representation to o!en candidates or o'ld pro#e no a" different fro! the earlier elections and the pro!ises !ade $" parties ill pro#e !ere hollo clai!s of p'shing for the passage of $ill onl". 6eedless to !ake !ention a$o't ndia ha#ing the $ica!eral str'ct're, consisting of President and the to ho'ses of the parlia!ent, knon as Da-"a 5a$ha and the 4ok 5a$ha+. 2# $%P&ITIN ' IN!IAN PAR(IA%)NT
*he 5tr'ct're of ndian
Parlia!ent as laid don in co'ntr"%s constit'tion is $ica!eral in
nat're, consisting of President and the to ho'ses Da-"a 5a$ha (the 'pper ho'se or the Co'ncil of 5tates) and the 4ok 5a$ha (the loer ho'se or the Ho'se of the People)@. Ra*ya &a+ha, consists of 2/ !e!$ers, 12 of ho! are no!inated $" President, ha#ing special
knoledge or practical e?perience in areas like, 4iterat're, 5cience, Art or 5ocial 5er#ices and rest are fro! states and 'nion territories in proportion its pop'lation elected $" the
elected !e!$ers of the 4egislati#e Asse!$l" thro'gh single transfera$le #ote s"ste!. *he !ini!'! age re&'ired to $e a !e!$er of the ho'se is + "ears. (ok &a+ha on the other hand has a !a?i!'! strength of //2 !e!$ers of hich /+ represent state, 2 represent 7nion *erritories and to !e!$ers of AngloEndian Co!!'nit" are no!inated $" the president, if the co!!'nit" is not ade&'atel" represented in the ho'se. *he present 4ok 5a$ha consists of /@/ !e!$ers incl'ding to no!inated !e!$ers and the !ini!'! age to $e the !e!$er of the 4ok 5a$ha as fi?ed 'nder the constit'tion is 2/ "ears. Me!$ers of 4ok 5a$ha are chosen $" people directl" thro'gh the electoral process for a period of fi#e "ears, 'nless sooner dissol#ed ,J)$TI-)& ' T.) &T"!/
*o st'd" and 'nderstand the le#el of participation and perfor!ance of o!en
contestants d'ring 21@ general elections held in ndia *o assess the representation so far gi#e to o!en contestants $" national political parties of ndia ho see! to $e #igoro'sl" p'shing for o!en%s
reser#ation $ill. *o &'antif" the participation of o!en elector in general election of ndia and the percentage of #ote%s o!en contestants had $een a$le to $ag.
%)T.!(0/ AN! &$P)
*o 'ndertake the present st'd" data as retrie#ed fro! the official e$site of the lection Co!!ission of ndia, *hese st'dies ill help de#elop a $roader idea a$o't the areas hich are $etter in o!en representation and the states hich pro#ide -'st lip ser#ices on the introd'ction of o!en%s reser#ation $ill, and can also help in initiating !eas'res to pl'g the loopholes in the political s"ste! of ndia, if an".
Results and !iscussion
Passage of o!en%s reser#ation $ill in the 4ok 5a$ha is still $eing seen as the $iggest h'rdle in ens'ring socio political e!poer!ent of ndian
o!en folk. 6ational or regional
political parties ha#e not so far gi#en an" d'e representation to o!en candidates d'ring the last fifteen general elections, this as a fact has led to the sit'ation here $" introd'ction and passage of o!en%s reser#ation $ill has $eco!e ine#ita$le. )lectoral (andscape 8't of ;+@,11,@=< registered electors, !ale electors constit'te /2.@ per cent hile fe!ale electors constit'te @=.> per cent. n a$sol'te n'!$ers, o't of the total ;+@,11,@=< electors, //+,;1,;1 people constit'ting >>.@ per cent cast their #otes in the 21@ 9eneral lections.
As on 1@ Fe$r'ar" 21@, the esti!ated n'!$er of electors aged $eteen 1; and 1< "ears ere 2+,1>1,2<> constit'ting 2.;@ per cent of total electors, against .=/ per cent in 2<. *he total sie of the electorate as 1=+,212,+@+ in the 1st 9eneral lections held in 1
*otal 6'!$er of lectors *otal 6'!$er of lectors ho 0oted *otal 6'!$er of Male and Fe!ale 0oters
;+@,11,@<= //+,;1,;1(>>.@ per cent) 2<+,2+>,==< (Males) ( >=.< per cent),
4argest
a
2>,/>/,22(Fe!ales (>/.>+ per cent) Malka-giri (Andhra Pradesh),
a
+,1;+,+2/ 4akshadeep, @<,<22
6'!$er
Constit'enc" 4oest 6'!$er
of of
lectors lectors
in in
Constit'enc" Ma?i!'! Contestants in a Parlia!entar"
Chennai 5o'th ( @2 Contestants)
Constit'enc" Polling 5tation ith 4east 6'!$er of
1; ith less than or e&'al to 1 electors
lectors Ma?i!'! :o!en Contestants in a 5tate
7ttar Pradesh (12> Contestants)
The $ompetition
Representation of omen
there are >2 o!en MPs in the 1> th 48K 5ABHA, hich is the highest n'!$er e#er $'t still #er" far fro! the oneEthird reco!!endation &'ota $" the s'pporters of a o!enGs reser#ation &'ota
8f the!, 2+ o!en MPs co!e fro! 7P and :B alone, the rest $eing dispersed in #er" s!all n'!$ers a!ong the rest of the states. harkhand and Har"ana ha#enGt sent a single o!en to lok sa$ha.
part"Eise, the trina!ool, the aa! aad!i part" and the B5P ha#e distri$'ted the !ost tickets to o!en *hat $eing said, the s'ccess rate of the BP%s o!en candidate as !'ch higher than an" other part", oing to the o#erall good perfor!ance of the BP. *he second part" ith the highest s'ccess ratio is the *rina!ool, ith 1 o't of its 2/ o!en candidates elected.
omen $andidates Performance *he 21@ 9eneral elections sa a record n'!$er of
o!en contestants and a record n'!$er of o!en inners. 8't of total of ;2/1 candidates
contested, >>; ere o!en hich constit'tes ;.1 percent. A record n'!$er of >2 o!en ha#e $een elected as co!pared to /< o!en elected in the 9eneral lections 2<. *his acco'nts for 11.@2 per cent of the /@+ electi#es seats, hile ;;./; per cent of the seats are $eing represented $" !en. n the 21@ 9eneral lections, 7ttar Pradesh recorded !a?i!'! n'!$er of o!en inners, i.e., 1+, folloed $" :est Bengal ith 1 inners and Madh"a Pradesh @ and Maharashtra ith / inners . $N$("&IN&
An ndian o!an has shon her !ettle in al!ost e#er" sphere of h'!an acti#it" and politics is no e?ception to her, this has alread" $een pro#en $" the o!en ho ha#e !ade it to the parlia!ent. ntrod'ction of o!en%s reser#ation $ill can $e considered as a giantEleap in the histor" of ndian
parlia!ent hich ill ens're greater participation of o!en in the
elected office and o$#io'sl" ill ens're $etter chances for o!en across the co'ntr" to gro !ore confident and !ore independent. Political reser#at ion is e&'all" going to $oost the other sectors for o!en as this ill pro#e !ore s ps"chological #ictor" for the!. ndia as a de!ocrac" d'ring past 1/ general elections has gron in !an" a"s. More than 2 s!all and large parties are registered ith the lection Co!!ission of ndia, to ens're depri#ed sections of the societ" ha#e representation in parlia!ent, constit'tional pro#isions ere !ade. B't hen it co!es to the o!en representation in ndian
polit" then the fig'res are #er"
disco'raging and so far nothing like reser#ation e?ists for the!. Altho'gh o!en had $een representing general elections of ndia fro! the #er" $eginning $'t the a" there sho'ld ha#e $een so!e significant groth a!ong the o!en candidates contesting elections o#er a period of ti!e has $een !issing. 6o$od" co'ld so far crack the stor" as hat is it that has not let ndian o!en to s'cceed in polit". t is not that ndian o!en is still reeling 'nder the age old tradition of conser#atis!, she is !odern, s'ccessf'l, independent, selfEs'fficient ith a!ple econo!ic e!poer!ent, $'t hen it co!es to political e!poer!ent then e !'st accept this fact that ndian
o!en is still reeling $ehind at this front hen co!pared to
o!en of other co'ntries. *o e!poer ndian
o!en politicall", o!en reser#ation $ill
see!s to $e the onl" a" o't, $'t this ill ens're political e!poer!ent of o!en is a $ig &'estion, as people ha#e alread" started d'$$ing this reser#ation !ore of o!en appease!ent $ill rather pro#ing of an" orth on gro'nd. *here is e#er" possi$ilit" that o!en !a" $e p'shed for decision !aking against their ishes once the" are affiliated to an" political part", so si!pl" ill act as a !e!$er in the hands of part", here she !a" not go against the interests and ishes of a part". :ell one can sa", it is too earl" and pre!at're
to gro pessi!istic a$o't the $ill, hen there is still lot "et to co!e. :hat is good a$o't the $ill is, that it has alread" $een introd'ced $" the 9o#t. of ndia here it has so'ght the appro#al of the 'pper ho'se of the parlia!ent and is al!ost $o'nd to $e thro'gh in the loer ho'se of the parlia!ent once ta$led, the a" !ost of the political parties in the co'ntr" are $acking it. B't the political h"pocris" of the ndian
polit" is not concealed to an"$od"
especiall" after going thro'gh the present st'd". *he leading political parties of ndia ho had $een cr"ing hard for the o!en%s reser#ation ha#e act'all" nohere gi#en fair repres entation to o!en candidates till 2< general elections. Knoing #er" ell that road to parlia!ent for ndian o!en is #er" to'gh so the onl" sol'tion to !ake it eas" appeared $" !aking it !ore constit'tional. 5till the interesting aspect is to itness the representation hich ill $e gi#en to o!en candidates $" !a-or political parties of the co'ntr" in the 21@ general elections.
References
1 9eraldine For$es (1<=<). 0otes for :o!en *he de!and for :o!enIs franchise in ndia, in 0ina Ma'!dar (d), S)bols of Power< Studies on the Political Status of (o)en in ndia+ Bo!$a". 2
Ministr"
of
Ho!e
affaris,
9o#t
of
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a#aila$le
at
httpJJ.cens'sindia.go#.inJCens'sAnd3o'Jinde?.asp? +
ndian
Parlia!ent.
(n.d).
Accessed
on
A'g'st
2,
21+. A#aila$le
at
httpJJ.parlia!entofindia.nic.inJ @
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Co!!issioner
of
httpJJeci.go#.inJeci!ain1Jinde?.asp?
ndia.
(n.d).
Detrie#ed
'l"
1+,
21+
fro!
