- In the recent UK general elections, a record 263 women MPs (40%) were elected to the House of Commons. The South African National Assembly has 45% women representation, while the U.S. House of Representatives has 29%. Universal suffrage was first granted to women in New Zealand in 1893. The UK granted it in 1928, and the US in 1920.
- India granted women the right to vote in its first general elections in 1952.
- However, women’s representation in the Lok Sabha has been low, ranging from 5% to 10% until 2004.
- It increased to 12% in 2014 and currently stands at 14%.
- State Legislative Assemblies have a national average of 9%.
- The 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments in 1992/1993 provided one-third reservation for women in panchayats and municipalities.
- Attempts to extend this reservation to the Lok Sabha and assemblies between 1996 and 2008 were unsuccessful.
| 106th Constitutional Amendment • The 106th Constitutional Amendment, passed in September 2023, mandates one-third reservation of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and State assemblies. • The reservation will be effective after the first Census figures are published post the act’s commencement, targeting implementation by the 2029 general elections. • The Trinamool Congress has 38% women MPs, while BJP and Congress have around 13% each. • The Naam Tamilar Katchi party follows a voluntary 50% quota for women candidates. |
Dig Deeper: Read about the Global Gender Gap Report.
