As Kerala gears up for its Assembly elections, the goal of increasing political participation for women appears to be largely unfulfilled. Despite having over 1.39 crore female voters, the number of women candidates stands at merely around 40. Major political parties have again demonstrated a trend of inadequate representation in their candidate lists, even though women account for more than half of the voting population in the state.

Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam’s Impact Stalled

The enactment of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam in 2023 had raised hopes among female political leaders across various parties. This legislation received presidential approval from Droupadi Murmu in September but has yet to be implemented. Its rollout is dependent on future delimitation exercises, leading many to speculate that political parties might willingly enhance women’s representation in this electoral cycle. However, the candidate lists have reflected a pattern contrary to those expectations.

Candidate Distribution Among Political Parties

In the 140 constituencies of Kerala, the representation of female candidates remains notably low. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has nominated 12 women, while the Congress has put forward nine, the Bharatiya Janata Party 14, and the Communist Party of India 5. The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), which is part of the Congress-led United Democratic Front, has also listed two female candidates for the first time in its history.

Disparities in Representation and Structural Challenges

Data from the Election Commission indicates that Kerala has 1,39,21,868 female voters, compared to 1,32,20,811 male voters. Despite representing a substantial voting demographic, women continue to be significantly underrepresented in decision-making roles. Congress MLA and candidate PC Vishnunath commented on the party’s attempts to boost women’s representation, yet acknowledged persistent structural challenges. He noted that winnability and other considerations often overshadow the need for women’s electoral representation.

Political Parties’ Perspectives

While the BJP has emphasized the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam as part of its commitment to women’s empowerment, CPI(M) leaders have critiqued the central government for using the issue strategically in the lead-up to elections. PK Sreemathi, a senior leader and national secretary of the All India Democratic Women’s Association, expressed frustration over the limited allocation of seats for women candidates, confirming that from the Left Democratic Front’s total of 18 seats, only a modest number are available for women.

Calls for Institutional Support

Former minister Sreemathi remarked that the representation of women within the Left front is comparatively higher than in other parties. She also questioned the delays in implementing the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, suggesting that discussions around the bill could be an attempt to sway female voters. Congress Rajya Sabha MP Jebi Mather emphasized that the reservation policy drastically improved women’s representation in local governance, highlighting that achieving similar results without institutional backing would be challenging.

Structural Barriers to Women’s Representation

Political analyst G. Gopakumar pointed out that the continuous underrepresentation of women suggests entrenched structural barriers within political organizations. He stated that despite persistent demands for greater inclusion, there is limited evidence of parties making efforts to increase the percentage of women on their candidate lists. Historical data indicates that women’s representation within the Kerala Assembly has never exceeded 10 percent since its inception in 1957, underlining the enduring challenges facing female political participation in the state.

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