Women's political participation in India

The term 'political participation' has a wide meaning. It relates to not only the right to vote, but also participation in the decision-making process, political activism, and political consciousness, among others.

Women in India participate in voting, run for public offices and political parties at lower levels compared to men. Political activism and voting are the strongest areas of women's political participation. To combat gender inequality in politics, the Indian Government has instituted reservations for seats in local governments.

During India's parliamentary general elections, the voter turnout for women was 65.63%, slightly lower than the 67.09% turnout for men. Despite progress, India ranks 143 out of 185 countries in terms of representation of women in Parliament.^[1] However, Indian women have achieved significant milestones, serving as president, prime minister, and chief ministers of various states. For decades, they have been elected to state legislative assemblies and the national parliament.