None of the States had more than 10 percent of women candidates in the elections.

States such as Jharkhand, West Bengal, Sikkim, and Chhattisgarh had the highest percentage of women candidates contested in their respective Assembly elections.

AS MANY as 4,173 (8 per cent) of total 51,141 candidates including 4,865 MPs and MLAs across the country are women and 440 (9 per cent) of total 4,865 sitting lawmakers are women, said Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) & National Election Watch on Friday. None of the States had more than 10 per cent of women  candidates in the elections, as per a statement.  “States such as Jharkhand, West Bengal, Sikkim, and Chhattisgarh had the highest percentage of women candidates contested in their respective Assembly elections,” it said.

“Out of the 4,173 women candidates analysed, 1060 (25 per cent) are crorepatis.” In the last three Lok Sabha Elections, the number of candidates has been increased remarkably from 2004 to 2014 whereas the increase in the number of women candidates remained nominal, it added.  As many as 94 (21 per cent) women MPs and MLAs have declared criminal cases against themselves.

“Out of the 440 MPs and MLAs analysed, 310 (70 per cent) are crorepatis. Among MPs, Lok Sabha has 66 (12 per cent) out of 542 analysed and Rajya Sabha has 25 (11 per cent) out of 228 MPs analysed are women,” it said. Among the State Assemblies, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and West Bengal have the highest percentage of women MLAs, it said. Out of 1, 642 (34 per cent)  MPs and MLAs analysed with declared criminal cases, 52 have declared cases related to crimes against women.  “Among these 52 MPs and MLAs with declared cases related to crimes against women, 45 are MLAs and three are MPs.”