Women's political participation in India: Progress Made and Challenges Remaining

Abstract

Over the years, there have been several positive developments in terms of women's political participation in India. The Constitution of India guarantees equality to all citizens, including women, and provides for reservations for women in local governance bodies. The 73rd and 74th Amendments to the Constitution in 1993 mandated that one-third of seats in local governing bodies, such as Panchayats and Municipalities, be reserved for women. This move has led to a significant increase in women's representation at the grassroots level.In addition to this, women have also made strides in national politics. There has been an increase in the number of women elected to the Parliament and State Assemblies in recent years. Political parties have also made efforts to field more women candidates in elections. This has resulted in a gradual increase in women's representation in the political arena.