Women Candidates Remain Underrepresented Despite Reservation Law
A report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) has revealed that women's political representation in India continues to lag far behind the goals set by the 2023 women's reservation law. Out of 31,429 candidates who contested recent elections, only 3,273—or 10.2%—were women, according to the ADR analysis.
Quota Law Aims for 33% Representation
The Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act, 2023, reserves one-third of seats in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies for women. However, the ADR report indicates that political parties are not fielding enough women candidates to meet this target, even in elections where the quota is not yet fully implemented.
Impact on Democracy and Governance
“The low proportion of women candidates undermines the spirit of the reservation law and weakens democratic representation,” said an ADR spokesperson. The report also noted that among major parties, none fielded more than 15% women candidates, with some fielding less than 5%.
Need for Stronger Enforcement
Activists argue that the law alone is insufficient without internal party reforms and penalties for non-compliance. The ADR report calls for greater transparency in candidate selection and stricter implementation of the quota to ensure women's voices are adequately represented in Indian politics.
