Women in politics: reservation, representation, and reality

Women are close to half of India's population and now vote at rates comparable to or slightly above men in national elections. Yet women's presence as candidates and elected representatives has lagged far behind their presence as voters. Understanding that gap — and what reservation can and cannot fix — is central to this note.

Local government changed first. The 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments of 1992–93 reserved not less than one-third of seats in panchayats and municipalities for women, and many states later raised that share to 50% in their own laws. That created a large pipeline of women with experience in local office, even though researchers debate how much independent authority first-generation women representatives exercise when family members or local power-holders remain influential. Supporters point to new voices in local decisions; critics warn against "proxy" representation, where a woman holds the seat but someone else takes the decisions.

At national and state legislature level, change has been slower. Women held 74 of 543 Lok Sabha seats (about 13.6%) after the 2024 election, down from 78 (about 14.4%) in 2019. Parliament passed the Constitution (106th Amendment) Act, 2023, popularly called the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, in September 2023, providing for one-third reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies (and the Delhi Legislative Assembly), including within seats already reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. It does not cover the Rajya Sabha or state legislative councils.

Crucially, the reservation itself is not yet operative for Lok Sabha and assembly elections. Under the Act, it takes effect only after the first Census conducted after the Act comes into force, followed by delimitation — the redrawing of constituency boundaries. That sequencing is contested: supporters argue delimitation is needed to identify reserved seats fairly, while critics argue the delay weakens the reform. Reports in 2026 about proposals to accelerate implementation, including discussion of expanding the Lok Sabha, remained proposals and disputed claims at the time of writing, not settled outcomes.

Reservation is therefore a starting point, not a complete answer. Candidate selection, party tickets, campaign finance, safety, family responsibilities, and media coverage all affect whether women can contest and win, including in seats that are not reserved.