In Himachal Pradesh, women constitute nearly half of the total voters, yet their representation in politics remains abysmal. Only three women have been elected to the Lok Sabha in the past 72 years, and only two are contesting in the upcoming elections. This lack of representation is particularly glaring given that women constitute nearly 49% of the total voters in the state.
One reason for this low representation is the dominance of male decision-makers in politics. As per Ramesh Chauhan, head of the department of political science at Himachal Pradesh University, until women are given prominent positions, they will not emerge as “empowered” and surpass their dominant male counterparts.
A second factor is the lack of opportunities for women from humble backgrounds. Political parties tend to overlook women with limited means, despite their high voter turnout, especially in rural areas.
Historically, successful female candidates in Himachal Pradesh have belonged to royal families. Rajkumari Amrit Kaur, the first health minister of India, was elected to Lok Sabha from Mandi constituency in 1952. Chandresh Kumari, from the royal family of Jodhpur, won from Kangra in 1984. Pratibha Singh, wife of former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, has won the Lok Sabha elections three times, in 2004, 2013, and 2021.
While women’s representation in the 68-member State Assembly has been equally low, with no woman elected till 1967, the highest number of seven women were elected in 1998. Eight women have also been elected to Rajya Sabha from the state.
The upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Himachal Pradesh offer an opportunity to address the glaring gender gap in political representation. The nomination of Kangana Ranaut and Rekha Rani by BJP and BSP, respectively, is a step in the right direction. However, more needs to be done to encourage and support women from all backgrounds to participate in politics and assume decision-making roles.
