The Role of Women in Electoral Politics in India (2014–2024): Participation, Representation, and Policy Impact
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31305/rrijm.2025.v10.n12.005Keywords:
Women’s political participation, electoral representation, Women’s Reservation Bill, gender equity, Indian democracy, policy impactAbstract
This paper explores the changing landscape of women’s electoral participation and representation in India from 2014 to 2024. Despite constitutional commitments and incremental improvements in female voter turnout, women remain underrepresented in legislative bodies. The study draws on election data, party manifestos, parliamentary records, and recent legal reforms, particularly the 2023 Women’s Reservation Bill. It highlights the socio-political challenges women face as candidates and leaders and evaluates policy impact areas where women legislators have made a difference. The paper concludes with strategic recommendations to transform symbolic representation into substantive equality in Indian electoral politics.
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Kumar, Radha (1993). The History of Doing: An Illustrated Account of Movements for Women's Rights and Feminism in India, 1800–1990
Palshikar, Suhas (2021). Indian Democracy: Meanings and Practices
Election Commission of India. SVEEP Reports (2014–2024)
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This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0).
