GENDER AND ELECTORAL REPRESENTATION IN INDIA: A STUDY ON MOVING BEYOND TOKENISM

Abstract

_{Women constitute nearly half of India’s population, yet their representation in Parliament and State legislatures remains disproportionately low. Despite Constitutional guarantees of equality and initiatives such as the Women’s Reservation Bill (2023), which reserves one-third of seats for women in legislatures, the gap between symbolic presence (tokenism) and substantive participation persists. Tokenism refers to the numerical or symbolic inclusion of women without granting them real influence in decision-making, while substantive participation implies active involvement in policy formulation, governance, and legislative debates. This study examines the structural, social, and institutional barriers preventing women from exercising genuine political power. Drawing upon doctrinal research, statistical trends, and insights from Panchayati Raj institutions where women’s reservation has shown measurable impact the paper explores strategies to move beyond tokenistic representation. Comparative examples from countries such as Rwanda and Nordic nations illustrate how quotas and supportive frameworks can convert presence into meaningful empowerment. The study concludes that while reservation is necessary, it is insufficient; comprehensive reforms in party structures, financial support, capacity building, and societal attitudes are required to ensure women’s effective participation in India’s democratic processes.}

_{Keywords
Women, Elections, Representation, Tokenism, Participation.}