Press Release: Women's Political Participation and Representation in India
ADR India
"Happy Women's Day to all"
Date: March 8, 2026
Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) & National Election Watch (NEW) have analysed 51,708 candidates who contested in the current Lok Sabha and State/UT assembly elections across the country. Among them, only 5,095(10%) were women candidates. This analysis includes the 543 MPs and 4,123 MLAs of India. Among 4,666 MPs/MLAs across the country, only 464 or 10% are women. The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Eighth Amendment) Bill, 2023 was introduced in Lok Sabha on September 19, 2023. The Bill seeks to reserve one-third of all seats for women in Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies. This report takes a look at participation of women in Parliament and State Legislative Assemblies.
This analysis is based on the data from the main elections held for the current Lok Sabha and Legislative Assemblies. It does not include the analysis of data from by-elections conducted thereafter.
Analysis
of Women Candidates and Women MPs/MLAs
- Out of total 51,708 candidates analysed who contested in the current Lok Sabha and Assembly elections across the country, only 5095, (10%) are women.
- Among 4,666 MPs/MLAs across the country, only 464 or 10% are women.
Women Candidates Contested in Lok Sabha and Assembly Elections
Women Candidates in Lok Sabha Elections 2024:
- Out of 8360 candidates analysed in the Lok Sabha elections 2024, Only 800 (9.6%) candidates were women.
- Out of 543 constituencies, 152 (28%) constituencies had zero women candidates.
- Among the Lok Sabha constituencies, Baramati (Maharashtra), Secunderabad and Warangal (Telangana) had the highest number of women candidates (8 each), followed by Karur (Tamil Nadu), and Kolkata Dakshin (West Bengal) with 7 candidates each.
- Among the national parties, BJP had the highest share of women candidates 16%, followed by INC and CPI(M) 13% each, and BSP with 8%. AAP did not field any women candidates among its 22 candidates while the NPP fielded 2 women candidates out of a total of 3 candidates.
Women
Candidates in Current Assemblies:
- Out of 43348 candidates analysed from current State and UT Assemblies, only 4295 (10%) candidates were women.
- Out of 4123 constituencies across the country in the current assemblies, 1698 (41%) constituencies had zero women candidates.
- Among the State and UT Assemblies, none of the states had more than 15 % women candidates in the elections. States such as Delhi, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh and Tripura had the highest percentage of women candidates contested in their respective assembly elections.
- Among the State and UT Assembly constituencies, Guntur West (Andhra Pradesh) had the highest number of women candidates (12), followed by Limbayat (Gujarat) and Nampally (Telangana) with 8 women candidates each.
- Among the State and UT Assemblies, Odisha (14%), Delhi (14%) and Chhattisgarh (13%) have the highest share of women candidates. The lowest shares are in Nagaland (2%), Arunachal Pradesh (5%) and Jammu & Kashmir (5%).
Women Candidates in the Current Lok Sabha and State/UT Assemblies – Party Wise
Unrecognised parties nominated 1502 women, out of 13,413 candidates, followed by National Parties 1337 out of 12119 candidates, state parties 592 out of 5,926 candidates. Among Independents, 1664 out of 20,250 candidates were women.
Performance of Women Candidates
Women MPs in 18th Lok Sabha:
- Among the 543 MPs in the 18th Lok Sabha, 74(14%) are women MPs.
- 22 states and UTs have women MPs in the 18th Lok Sabha. The only large state without a woman MP is Kerala.
- West Bengal has the highest number of women MPs 11, followed by Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra 7, and Madhya Pradesh 6.
- BJP has the highest number of women MPs 31, followed by INC 13, and AITC 11.
- Only national parties and state parties managed to get their women candidates elected. No woman candidate from any unrecognised political party or Independent woman candidate won the election.
- Higher share of women candidates won the election than male candidates: 74(9%) out of 800 women candidates won the elections. Among 7,554 male candidates, 469 (6%) were elected. Additionally, 6 third gender candidates contested the elections, but none of them were elected.
- Among the women MPs, Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya (Nimuben Bambhaniya) (BJP) from Bhavnagar Constituency (Gujarat) has won with the highest vote share, i.e. 69.70% in her constituency and Shobha Karandlaje (BJP) from Bangalore North Constituency (Karnataka) has won with the highest number of votes, i.e. 9,86,049.
Women MLAs in Current Assemblies:
- Among 4,123 MLAs across the country, 390 (9%) are women.
- Among the State and UT Assemblies, Uttar Pradesh has the highest number of women MLAs 47, followed by West Bengal 40, Bihar 29 and Madhya Pradesh 27.
- BJP has the highest number of women MLAs 163, followed by INC 59, and AITC 34.
- Higher share of male candidates won the election than women candidates in the State and UT Assemblies: 3733 (10%) out of 39033 male candidates won the elections. Among 4295 women candidates, 390 (9%) were elected. Additionally, 20 third gender candidates contested the elections, but none of them were elected.
- Among the women MLAs, S. S. Olish (BJP) from Chandel Constituency (Manipur) has won with the highest vote share, i.e. 79.06% in her constituency and Manjula S (BJP) from Mahadevapura (SC) Constituency (Karnataka) has won with the highest number of votes, i.e. 1,81,731.
Criminal and Financial Background of Sitting Women MPs/MLAs
Summary:
Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and National Election Watch (NEW) have analyzed the self -sworn affidavits of 476 out 477 sitting Women MPs & MLAs from across the nation. This report analyses all 75 affidavits of sitting Women MPs from Lok Sabha and 401 out of 402 sitting Women MLAs from all the 28 states and 3 union territories of India. It also includes analysis of the affidavits submitted for bye elections held during the 5 years’ period due to resignation, death or vacation of seat due to some other reason. One MLA namely Palle Sindhura Reddy (TDP) contesting from Puttaparthi Constituency (Andhra Pradesh) has not been analysed due to the unavailability of her clear and complete affidavit on the ECI website at the time of making this report.
This data has been extracted from the affidavits (Form 26) submitted with the ECI and filed by the candidates i.e women MPs and MLAs in the present report at the time elections were held in the years 2021 to 2026. The current status of the criminal cases taken from these affidavits and given the present report is not known and may vary from case-to-case basis. The completeness, timeliness and instant status of all data and information used in the report are dependent upon diverse resources of such data and information, which are outside ADR's control.
- Sitting Women MPs/MLAs with Criminal Cases: Out of the 476 Women MPs/MLAs analysed, 127(27%) have declared criminal cases against themselves. 24 (32%) out of 75 Lok Sabha Women MPs, and 103(26%) out of 401 Women MLAs (all state assemblies / UTs) analysed have declared criminal cases against themselves.
- Sitting Women MPs/MLAs with Serious Criminal Cases: Out of the 476 Women MPs/MLAs analysed, 68(14%) have declared serious criminal cases against themselves. 14 (19%) out of 75 Lok Sabha Women MPs and 54(13%) out of 401 Women MLAs (all state assemblies / UTs) analysed have declared serious criminal cases against themselves.
- Billionaire Sitting Women MPs/MLAs: Out of the 476 women MPs/MLAs analysed, 14 (3%) are Billionaires. This includes 6 (8%) out of 75 Lok Sabha MPs and 8(2%) out of 401 MLAs from all state assemblies / UTs.
- Average Assets of Sitting Women MPs/MLAs: The average of assets per woman MP/MLA is Rs 17.30 Crores.
- Total Assets of Sitting Women MPs/MLAs: The total assets of 476 women MPs/MLAs are Rs. 8,234 Crores.
- 121(25%) Women MPs/MLAs have declared their educational qualifications to be between 5th and 12th standard while 333(70%) Women MPs/MLAs have declared having an educational qualification of graduate or above. 12 Women MPs/MLAs are Diploma holders. 10 Women MPs/MLAs have declared themselves to be just literate.
- Age details of Women MPs/MLAs: 115(24%) Women MPs/MLAs have declared their age to be between 25 to 40 years while 302 (63%) Women MPs/MLAs have declared their age to be between 41 to 60 years. There are 59 (12%) Women MPs/MLAs who have declared their age to be between 61 to 80 years.
The litmus test for a truly representative democracy and inclusive political participation seek adequate representation of women in politics. India is the largest Parliamentary democracy with 662.9 million voters are women. Globally, as per the ranking by IPU as of 1st March, 2025 India ranks 151 among 185 countries in terms of women’s representation in Parliament. Political empowerment of women is key to achieving gender equality. There is a strange paradox regarding women's political participation in India where at one hand we see powerful women political leaders and on the other hand, there are only few women in the Parliament and State Assemblies. While there is a 50 per cent quota for women in the urban local bodies, a significant rise is also observed in registration of women as voters and female political participation, this has not translated into increased representation in the state assemblies or parliament. Around 49 per cent of India’s population is female; however, only 14 percent of the members of the current parliament are women.
As per the 2009 Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) survey, one of the strongest deterrents to women entering politics was the lack of finances to contest electoral campaigns. The chances of winning of a female candidate with assets less than INR 10 million was 1.49 per cent only in the 2024 Indian General Election. It is to be noted that none of the 279 independent women candidates won in the 2024 General Election given the absence of support. Because of various structural impediments women remain underrepresented in Parliamentary and State Assemblies. This lack of representation is primarily caused by male dominated party structure, lack of inner party democracy within parties, societal norms, expectations that prioritise traditional gender roles, caregiving duties, institutional barriers, patriarchal norms, stereotypes and biases based on physical characteristics, cultural biases and the long prevalent notion that women are not as electable as men. Even the women from political dynasties are mostly given safe seats previously occupied by a male family member where their win is almost assured. The highly centralized and non-transparent ticket distribution within political parties also tend to disproportionately allot tickets to mostly those women candidates who are from established political families, dominant castes, and financially affluent groups.
Other key challenges include resource scarcity, financial constraints, proxy representation, lack of opportunities for women belonging to SC/ST and OBC, cyber bullying and harassment, gender-based violence, political violence and intimidation especially during elections. Evidently, the Panchayats in rural areas and municipalities in urban areas have made remarkable achievements in the field of political empowerment of women. These local bodies bring more and more women into the field of politics making significant changes in governance. It is therefore vital to evaluate the multilayered challenges on the way to women’s representation in politics and policy making. For a woman to be reasonably politically represented entails their equal involvement in electoral processes, policy-making, and leadership positions. It encompasses voting, standing for elections, holding public office, and being involved in decision-making at all levels of governance.
Legal Framework:
India's legal framework guarantees gender equality, but the reality remains unequal. Part III of the India Constitution guarantees the fundamental rights of men and women. The Directive Principles of State Policy ensure economic empowerment by providing for equal pay for equal work by both men and women, humane conditions of work, and maternity relief. Articles 325 and 326 of the Constitution guarantee political equality and the right to vote by ensuring Universal Adult Franchise and preventing exclusion from the voter’s list based on sex. Articles 84 and 173 of the Constitution ensure that any Indian citizen who is registered as a voter can contest elections to the Parliament or the state legislative assemblies The 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment Acts passed in 1992 mandated that one-third of seats in Panchayati Raj institutions (PRIs), a system of rural local self-government in India, be reserved for women, promoting women's participation in local government. India is a signatory to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and aligns with the Beijing Declaration on gender equality, promoting women’s participation in public life.
Women's reservation Bill:
The ‘Women's Reservation Bill’ tabled in 2008 that reserves 33% of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies marked a historic moment in India's legislative history. Over three decades later and six attempts to pass the measure, finally in September 2023 the 128th Constitution Amendment Bill, referred to as the ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam’ was passed with all 214 members present in the Upper House voting in favour of the bill. Implementation is expected after the next census and delimitation exercise. The Decadal census which was to be implemented in 2021 has been delayed indefinitely. The question, therefore, remains as to whether there is enough political will to make this commitment a law. This delay also reflects male-dominated legislators' reluctance to address gender disparities in politics. The timely conduct of the census planned in 2026-27 is crucial to implement this bill by 2029.
Status of Women’s Participation in Politics in India:
The number of women MPs elected in the Lok Sabha elections were 58 in 2009, 62 in 2014, 78 in 2019, and 74 in 2024. In 1962, the female voter turnout in Lok Sabha Elections was 46.6%, and by 2024, it significantly increased to 65.8% during the 18th Lok Sabha Elections. The number of women contesting elections has also seen a remarkable rise. In 1957, only 45 women stood as candidates in the Lok Sabha elections. During the 18th Lok Sabha elections, this number had soared to 800, demonstrating an increasing willingness and opportunity for women to participate as political candidates. Women’s representation in legislative bodies has gradually improved. In the Lok Sabha, the number of female representatives was 22 (5%) in 1951, which increased to 74 (13.6%) in 2024. Similarly, female representation in the Rajya Sabha went from 7% in 1952 to 13% in 2023. At the local level, women hold a more significant share of seats. In 2022, women comprised 44% of representatives in local self-government institutions, with a total of 1,375,914 female representatives.
Women in Politics Way Forward:
Mandate on Political Parties: Steps can be taken by parties for promoting gender equality within by introducing quotas. Every registered political party should be legally mandated to give one third of the total number of party tickets it distributes at every election to women candidates. Additionally, allocation of funds to women’s wings, and developing a gender action plan for its members.
Selecting women candidates based on merit: Political parties should only give tickets to worthy women candidates based on their merit and credibility. Parties should refrain from giving tickets to the candidates based on money, muscle and family background/political dynasty which only ends up making women as a proxy law-makers thereby defeating the whole purpose of gender equality and role of women in key policy making.
Women’s tokenistic inclusion: This implies male party leaders selecting woman candidates that they can control from behind the scenes. This could be in the form of a defeated or behind the bars male politician making women of their house as their proxy. This leads to close space for dissent, free decision making amongst women leaders and concentration of power in the hands of one or few powerful male politician/(s). Another sad reality of Indian politics is that women often struggle to advance in political parties without the patronage of powerful male leaders. Therefore, bringing courageous, credible and worthy women into National and State politics could be a significant step for women’s representation which inturn would result in making governance more responsive to women’s interests and needs.
Role of Women Organisations: Women’s organisations and networks within political parties and civil society must continue to help women assert their presence within the larger political and social landscape.
Capacity Building and removal of barriers: Continuous training programs and mentorship for women in politics can build confidence and equip them with the necessary skills for governance. Better educational opportunities for women, improved financial stability, greater media awareness and reducing societal cultural and gender prejudices can enhance their political participation.
Promoting Gender Sensitization: Political parties and civil society must advocate for gender sensitisation programs to break societal stereotypes and encourage equal participation of women in governance.
Technological and Financial Support: Endeavour should be made towards providing women with access to digital tools for campaigning and communication along with financial assistance or subsidies for electoral campaigns. Adoption of political finance reforms targeting gender equality are the need of the hour. Gender-targeted public funding may also be considered in salience with other pending reforms. Public funding to political parties can be used as an incentive to level the playing field and increase the number of women candidates or elected women.Association for Democratic Reforms/National Election Watch
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