Author : Alok Raj , Pursuing BA.LL.B From Symbiosis Law School, Hyderabad.

Co-Author: Nalla Vatsalya, MA Gender studies, Ambedkar University, Delhi.

Co-Author: Milli Dhillon, MA Political Science, Lovely Professional University,
Jalandhar.

Abstract

Although India is a democratic nation, it has almost 48% women as voters, but the electoral numbers show a paradoxical situation that women are vastly underrepresented as candidates and elected representatives. Using the data of the Election Commission of India (ECI), the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) and the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), this paper critically examines electoral participation of women in India as a voter and as a political actor. The 2024 Lok Sabha elections marked an historic achievement in terms of female participation (65.78%) to the extent that it slightly outpaced the overall voter turnout (65.55%) by the male voters, but women had a mere 13.63% of parliamentary seats and 9.56% of candidates. Using the lenses of intersectionality (Crenshaw) and capability approach (Sen), the paper highlights five research gaps – the absence of intersectional analysis, high socio-economic development is weak evidence of representation, blocked panchayat pipeline, entrenched partyinternal gatekeeping, and near absence of data on the participation of the third genders. The country’s comparative score of 143 out of 183 countries, far lower than the IPU average of 26.9%, places India in the bottom half of the rankings, and a new Policy Recommendations section features six evidence-based policy reforms. The paper contends that increased voter participation, as such, is not likely to narrow the gender gap in India’s democracy unless there are changes in the structure of parties and legislation.

Keywords: Women’s Electoral Participation, Political Representation , Intersectionality, Gender Gap , Lok Sabha Elections , Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam.