The increase in number of women candidates in the last three Lok Sabha polls remained nominal. Of the 51,143 candidates who contested various elections across the country, only 4,173 were women, says the Association for Democratic Reforms.

The maximum number of 150 women MPs and MLAs belong to the BJP, followed by 91 MPs and MLAs from the Congress.

The ADR analysed the affidavits of 51,143 male and female candidates, which included 4,865 sitting parliamentarians and MLAs. Among the 4,173 women candidates, 546 (13%) had declared criminal cases against them. In all, 4,173 (25%) are crorepatis.

“Among the State assemblies, none of the States had more than 10% of women candidates in the elections. States such as Jharkhand, West Bengal, Sikkim and Chhattisgarh had the highest percentage of women candidates in their respective Assembly elections,” said the report. Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and West Bengal also have the highest percentage of women MLAs.

‘70% crorepatis’

Of the total 4,865 sitting MPs and MLAs, only 440 (9%) are women, 94 of them have declared criminal antecedents and 310 (70%) are crorepaties. The Lok Sabha has 66 (12%) and the Rajya Sabha has 25 (11%) women parliamentarians.

The ADR report said of the 1,642 MPs and MLAs with declared criminal cases, 45 legislators and and three parliamentarians had declared cases related to crimes against women, while 480 women who were given tickets by recognised political parties had such cases against them.

In the last five years, 18 independent candidates with declared cases related to crimes against women contested Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha polls. “Similarly, 107 independent candidates with declared cases related to crimes against women contested the State assemblies’ elections,” it said.

The recognised parties have, in the last five years, given tickets to 44 candidates who had declared cases related to rape.