Chandigarh, September 27
Although the contribution of women in Haryana politics has gradually increased since 1966, women still have a long way to go before they make their place in major leadership roles of the state.
Politics is heated across the country regarding reservations for women in politics. If we look at the politics of the state, the presence of women in politics here has been nominal since the formation of the state.The contribution of women in the politics of the state has been minimal, in the first assembly only five women could be elected out of 81.
By 2019, this number reached only 9. Since the formation of Haryana in 1966, the contribution of women in politics has been limited despite being important. There is a big gap between the claim and reality of women’s empowerment in Haryana.
There has been some increase in the participation of women in recent years, but their role in top-level politics is still less than that of men.
Reservation in Panchayati Raj and local bodies has had a positive impact on empowering women in Haryana, but there is a need for more women leaders to emerge at the state and national levels.
In the 1990s, 33 percent of women’s reservation was implemented in Panchayati Raj institutions, which promoted women’s representation at the local level. This led to the emergence of many women as Sarpanch and Panchayat members, although the real power of power still remained in the hands of men.
This reservation provided a platform for women to enter state politics, but their contribution to state-level politics has been limited. The names of such women leaders who were able to make a mark in the state’s politics on their own can be counted on fingers.
Till now, most of the women who contested elections and reached the Assembly either had husbands in politics or they took over the legacy of their father or grandfather. In the first assembly of the state, there were only 5 women out of 81. In 1977, this figure was reduced to only four. In 1996 and 2000, this figure remained limited to only five.
In 2005, 13 women reached the Vidhan Sabha, which is the highest till date. In 2009, their number was again only ten. Until the government does not make arrangements for reservations for women in Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha, women will not be able to participate in politics. The government had fixed reservations for women in Panchayati Raj institutions and local bodies twenty years ago.
Women MLAs of Haryana from 1966 to 2024
1966 Shanno Devi-Jagadhari, Prasanna Devi-Rajound, Princess Sumitra Devi-Rewari, Chandrawati Dadri, Omprabha Jain-Kaithal.
1967 Omprabha Jain-Kaithal, Prasanna Devi-Indri, Lekhwati Jain-Naggal, Srehalta, Sumitra Devi-Rewari.
1968 Omprabha Jain-Kaithal, Chandrawati-Dadri, Prasanna Devi-Indri, Lekhavati Jain-Ambala, Shakuntala Bhagwadia-Salhawas, Sharda Rani-Ballabhgarh, Sumitra Devi- Rewari.
1972 Chandrawati-Lauharu, Lajjarani-Badra, Lekhavati Jain-Ambala, Prasanna Devi-Indri, Sharda Rani-Ballabhgarh.
1977 Kamala Devi became MLA from Yamuna Nagar, Sushma Swaraj from Ambala Cantonment, Shanti Devi from Kailana and Shukla from Bawal.
In 1982, Shanti Devi became MLA from Karnal, Prasanna Devi Naultha, Banti Devi Hasangarh, Kartar Devi Kalanaur, Sharda Rani Ballabhgarh, Chandrawati Badhra, Shukla became MLA from Bawal.
1987 Jasma Devi-Adampur, Kamla Verma-Yamuna Nagar, Sushma Swaraj-Ambala Cantt, Madhavi Kirti-Jhajjar, Vidya Beniwal-Dadwakalan.
1991 Chandrawati-Loharu, Janaki Devi Mann-Indri, Kartar Devi-Kalanour, Santosh Chauhan-Sirsa, Shakuntala Bhagwadiya-Bawal, Shanti Rathi-Kailana.
1996 Kamla Verma-Yamuna Nagar, Kanta Devi-Jhajjar, Kartar Devi-Kalanour, Krishna Gehlawat-Rohat, Vidya Beniwal-Dabdkalan.
2000 Anita Yadava Salhawas, Sarita Narayan Kalanaur, Independent Bala Chaudhary Fatehabad, Veena Chhibber Ambala, Vidya Bainiwal Dabdkalan.
2005- Anita Yadav-Salhawas, Geeta Bhukkal-Kalayat, Kartar Devi-Kalanour, Krishna Pandit-
Yamunanagar, Meena Mandal-Jundla, Prasanni Devi-Naulatha, Rajrani Poonam-Assandh, Rekha Rana-Gharaunda, Shakuntala Bhagwadia-Bawal, Sharda Rathore-Ballabhgarh, Sumita Singh-Karnal, Kiran Chaudhary-Tosham, Savitri Jindal-Hisar.
2009- Kiran Chaudhary-Tosham, Savitri Jindal-Hisar, Geeta Bhukkal-Jhajjar, Sumita Singh-Karnal, Sharda Rathore-Vallabhgarh, Shakuntala Khatak-Kalanaur, Saroj Mor-Narnaund, Kavita Jain-Sonepat, Anita Yadav-Ateli.
2014- Latika Sharma Kalka, Santosh Chauhan Sarwan Mullana (SC), Kavita Jain Sonipat, Prem Lata Uchana, Renuka Bishnoi Hansi, Kiran Chaudhary Tausham, Shankutala Khatak Kalanaur (SAC), Geeta Bhukkal Jhajjar (SAC), Santosh Yadav Ateli, Bimla Chaudhary (SAC), Seema Trikha Badkhal.
2019- Shaili Narayangarh, Renu Bala Sadhora (SAC), Kamlesh Dhanda Kalayat, Nirmal Rani Ganour, Naina Singh Chautala Badhra, Kiran Chaudhary Tausham, Shankutala Khatak Kalanaur (SAC), Geeta Bhukkal Jhajjar (SAC), Seema Trikha Badkhal.
