Women’s Participation in Local-Level Politics in India
In India, the political participation of women rose from 4–5% to 25–40% with the implementation of women’s reservations. The Indian Constitution’s 73rd and 74th amendments provided reservations for women in local administration. One-third of all seats in Panchayats (local self-government) and chairperson positions are reserved for women under Article 243 D of the Constitution.
The 73rd Constitutional Amendment requires panchayats, or village councils, to set aside one-third of all seats for women at the village, intermediate, and district levels. Similarly, the 74th Amendment to the Constitution requires municipalities (city councils) to set aside one-third of all seats for women at the ward level. These reservations are meant to guarantee that women’s views are heard and their needs are taken into consideration, as well as to increase the involvement of women in local decision-making.
In many states, reserve policies have not been well implemented in practice, although being mandated by the constitution. There are variations in the number of seats set allocated for states and union territories, and women are still underrepresented. On the other hand, there are also cases when female representatives are actively involved in their Panchayats and Municipalities, and their contribution has resulted in the growth of their cities and villages.
Famous Women Politicians in India
Famous Women Politicians in India: Women Politicians in India represented 13.9% of Rajya Sabha seats and 15.2% of Lok Sabha seats as of September 2023. The new gender quota legislation in India does not apply to the Rajya Sabha. There are 542 members in the Lok Sabha and 224 in the Rajya Sabha. There are 78 and 24 women among them, respectively.
In this article, we have provided a list of famous women politicians in India, their contribution to politics from the local level to the country level, the challenges faced by them, etc.
Table of Content
- About Women Politicians in India
- Women’s Participation in Politics in India
- Percentage of Women Politicians in India
- Women’s Participation in Local-Level Politics in India
- Famous Women Politicians in India
- List of Famous Women Politicians in India and Their Contribution
- Factors Affecting Women’s Political Participation in India
- Challenges Faced by Women in Politics