Female Elector Share in India from 1st Lok Sabha Election to 18th Lok Sabha Election

In 1971, women constituted 47.6% of the total electoral roll. This figure remained notably consistent over the following decades, hovering around the 47.5-48.0% range with minimal fluctuation for most of the period. The relative stability of this metric stands in contrast to the significant changes in absolute numbers of voters during this same timeframe. Despite India’s population nearly tripling over these five decades and the total electorate growing from around 151 million to over 646 million voters, the proportional representation of women remained within a narrow band. This suggests that voter registration efforts generally expanded at similar rates for both genders during much of this period. There were several minor dips in the share of female electors, particularly in the early 1990s when it fell to 47.4% (lowest point). This period coincided with significant political and economic changes in India, which may have had differential impacts on women’s electoral registration. In 2019, the share of female electors crossed the 48% threshold to reach 48.1%, and by 2024, it had increased further to 48.6 (highest level). This recent acceleration suggests that concerted efforts to increase women’s electoral participation may be yielding results. Despite this positive trend, it’s worth noting that women’s share of the electoral rolls still falls short of their estimated share in the general population (which is close to 49% in India). This persistent gap, though narrowing, indicates that structural barriers to women’s full electoral participation remain. The steady upward trajectory in recent years, however, suggests a movement toward greater gender parity in Indian electoral democracy, reflecting broader societal changes in gender relations and growing recognition of women’s political agency.