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Women’s political participation is a core indicator of democratic inclusiveness and gender equality. In India, the evolution of women’s political rights has been shaped by a unique historical trajectory that intertwines anti-colonial struggle, social reform movements, constitutional guarantees, and institutional innovations. This paper examines the historical evolution of women’s suffrage in India, the development of women’s political participation after independence, key global and national milestones in women’s political history, and the role of parliamentary debates and committees in shaping women-centric legislation, particularly the Women’s Reservation Bill. Drawing on historical analysis and institutional perspectives, the study highlights how women’s political empowerment in India has progressed from limited representation to constitutional recognition and recent legislative breakthroughs. However, despite significant gains, persistent structural, cultural, and institutional barriers continue to limit substantive political equality. The paper argues that while India has achieved formal gender parity in political rights, the challenge lies in transforming numerical representation into meaningful participation and leadership.
Keywords:
Women’s political participation, suffrage, constitutional reforms, reservation, Indian democracy
Cite Article:
"Women’s Political Participation in India: Historical Evolution, Institutional Reforms, and Contemporary Challenges", International Journal for Research Trends and Innovation (www.ijrti.org), ISSN:2455-2631, Vol.11, Issue 1, page no.a601-a603, January-2026, Available :http://www.ijrti.org/papers/IJRTI2601088.pdf
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ISSN:
2456-3315 | IMPACT FACTOR: 8.14 Calculated By Google Scholar| ESTD YEAR: 2016
An International Scholarly Open Access Journal, Peer-Reviewed, Refereed Journal Impact Factor 8.14 Calculate by Google Scholar and Semantic Scholar | AI-Powered Research Tool, Multidisciplinary, Monthly, Multilanguage Journal Indexing in All Major Database & Metadata, Citation Generator