CHENNAI: Even as women outnumber men in over 90% of the 234 Assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu, political parties have continued to allocate a disproportionately low number of tickets to women candidates.
Alliances led by DMK and AIADMK, as well as actor Vijay’s TVK, have fielded women in just over 10% of the 234 constituencies. The only outlier is NTK, which has allotted nearly half its seats to women.
Electoral roll data shows women voters outnumber men in 214 constituencies, accounting for over 91% of the total. Of the 5.67 crore electorate, women constitute 2.89 crore, compared to 2.77 crore men. With women emerging as a decisive voting bloc in multi-cornered contests, parties have rolled out a slew of promises targeting them, including cash assistance and welfare schemes.
However, this has not translated into proportional representation in candidate selection. The DMK, contesting 164 seats, has fielded 18 women (around 11%). Its ally Congress, contesting 28 seats, has given tickets to just two women (7.14%). VCK has allotted two of its eight seats (25%) to women, while CPM has fielded one woman in five seats. Overall, the DMK-led alliance has fielded 24 women candidates, or 10.25%.
On the other side, the AIADMK, contesting 167 seats, has nominated 19 women candidates (just over 11%). Its ally BJP has fielded five women in 27 seats (18.5%), while PMK has given three tickets to women in 18 seats (16%). The AIADMK-led alliance’s overall share of women candidates stands at about 11.5%.
NTK has fielded 116 women candidates and a transwoman candidate, maintaining its 50% representation seen in 2021. TVK has fielded 24 women, or about 10.25%.
While there is a marginal increase in the number of women candidates compared to the 2021 polls, when DMK fielded 11 women and AIADMK 17, the figures remain well short of the long-pending demand for 33% reservation. MNM fielded 18 women when it contested 180 seats in 2021.
A senior woman DMK leader said, “Unless the law mandates 33% reservation in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies, major parties are unlikely to ensure adequate representation for women. Only the implementation of the 106th Amendment will significantly improve opportunities for women to contest elections.”