Srinagar, Apr 2: Despite women accounting for 48.9% of the total electorate in Jammu and Kashmir for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the major political parties have so far shown a reluctance to field women candidates from any of the five parliamentary constituencies in the Union Territory.
Out of the 87,89,233 eligible voters across the five seats, 44,86,261 are male voters, while a significant 43,02,812 are women electors, along with 160 transgenders. However, the candidate lists announced by parties like the BJP, Congress, National Conference (NC), and the newly formed Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) have been dominated by male faces.
In the Kashmir valley, where the NC had won all three seats in 2019, the party seems unlikely to field any woman candidate, according to sources. Party Vice President Omar Abdullah has stated that the candidates have been finalized and will be announced after Eid-ul-Fitr. They have named Mian Altaf from South Kashmir so far.
Political analysts and women’s rights activists have criticized the parties’ reluctance to nominate women candidates, arguing that it perpetuates the underrepresentation of women in the highest echelons of power and fails to provide role models for aspiring female leaders.
As the election campaigns gain momentum, there are growing calls for parties to reconsider their candidate selections and prioritize greater gender diversity. Advocates argue that fielding more women candidates would not only better reflect the electorate’s composition but also bring a fresh perspective and renewed emphasis on issues that disproportionately affect women and their families.
