Women Representation in Lok Sabha

Source-This post on Women Representation in Lok Sabha has been created based on the article “The representation of women in the incoming Lok Sabha, how it compares to previous years” published in “The Indian Express” on 6 June 2024.

Why in News?

Over the years, the gender composition of the Lok Sabha has generally trended towards increasing women’s representation.

About Women Representation in Lok Sabha

1. In 2024, India elected 74 women MPs to the Lok Sabha, which is four fewer than in 2019. These 74 women constitute 13.63% of the total strength of the Lower House, significantly below the proposed 33% quota for women.

2. The women MPs come from 14 different parties, with the BJP leading this list with 31 women MPs, followed by Congress with 13, and the TMC with 11.

3. Historical Progression:

i) In 1952, only 4.41% of the members in the Lok Sabha were women. By 1962, this number went up to a little over 6%. However, in 1971, it dropped to less than 4%.

ii) Since then, there has been a slow but steady rise in women’s representation, crossing the 10% mark in 2009 and peaking at 14.36% in 2019. However, in 2024, this representation saw a slight decrease to 13.63%.

4. Comparative Analysis: India’s 13.63% representation of women in the Lok Sabha lags behind several other countries. For instance, 46% of MPs in South Africa are women, 35% in the UK, and 29% in the US.

5. Party-wise Representation:

i) In 2024, women Lok Sabha MPs come from 14 parties. The BJP has the highest number of women MPs at 31, which is 12.92% of its total MPs.

ii) Congress follows with 13 women MPs, making up 13.13% of its MPs, and the TMC has 11 women MPs, representing 37.93% of its total.

iii) The SP has five women MPs, the DMK has three, and both the LJPRV and JD(U) have two each. Seven parties have one woman MP each.

6. New Faces and Experience:

i) Of the 74 women MPs elected in 2024, 43 are first-time MPs, and Misa Bharti of the RJD is a first-time Lok Sabha MP. Women MPs, on average, have 0.76 Lok Sabha terms of experience.

ii) The average age of women MPs is 50 years, compared to 56 years for the overall House. Additionally, 78% of the women MPs have completed their undergraduate education, which is comparable to their male counterparts.

7. Candidates’ Composition:

i) Out of the total 8,360 candidates who stood in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, around 10% were women.

ii) This number has increased over time, from 3% in 1957 to 10% in 2024. Among the major parties, 16% of BJP’s candidates were women, while 13% of Congress’s candidates were women, both higher than the overall average.

UPSC Syllabus: Polity and nation