Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Elections.
Mehbooba Mufti has been the first woman Chief Minister in Jammu and Kashmir politics, but ‘half the population’ could not get a share in terms of her participation. Political parties always find it difficult to give tickets to women. The result of this was that sometimes two and sometimes three women were elected to the Legislative Assembly. In the five decades of political history from 1972 to 2014, only 12 women have become MLAs. In such a situation, it will be seen how many women MLAs are elected in this year’s Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections?
Assembly elections are being held after the abrogation of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir and it became a union territory. Jammu and Kashmir is going to polls in the first phase on September 18 in 24 seats, in which a total of 219 candidates are trying their luck. Out of which only nine women have contested the elections. After this, two-phase elections will be held for the remaining 66 seats. Given the tickets so far, it is clear how indifferent the political parties are towards women’s participation in politics in Jammu and Kashmir.
Only 12 women have become MLAs in Jammu and Kashmir
From 1972 to 2014, only 12 women have managed to become legislators in the assembly elections held in Jammu and Kashmir. In these 52 years, only 172 women have tried their luck in assembly elections, of which 142 women have had their deposits forfeited. 12 women have been elected MLAs, of which the highest number of women MLAs was four in the 1972 assembly elections, but only two to three women have won in subsequent elections. Mehbooba Mufti has also held the post of Chief Minister in addition to being an MLA thrice.
If we look at the number of women MLAs in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections, four women MLAs were elected in the year 1972. Rajdulari Hindu and Sarojini Yogacharya were prominent. In 1987 also four women MLAs were elected. After this, in 1996 the number of women MLAs was two, in 2002 the number of women MLAs was two, in 2008 the number of women MLAs was three, after the death of Mufti Mohammad Saeed in 2014 the number of women MLAs was two, Mehbooba Mufti was elected and the number of women MLAs again increased to three. National Conference’s Shamim Firdaus also has a history of becoming an MLA in 2008 and 2014.
Mehbooba Mufti first woman Chief Minister
Mehbooba Mufti inherited politics from her father Mufti Mohammad Saeed. In the year 1996, Mehbooba was first elected as an MLA on a Congress ticket. After this she became a Lok Sabha MP and became an MP in 2002 and 2008. After this, after the death of Mufti Mohammad Saeed, Mehbooba Mufti became the first woman Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, but resigned after deteriorating relations with the BJP. This time Mehbooba Mufti is not contesting the election herself but has fielded her daughter Iltija Mufti in the assembly elections on PDP ticket.
How many women legislators will there be in 2024?
Assembly elections are being held in Jammu and Kashmir after ten years. Major parties in the state have promised to give tickets to women. BJP, National Conference and PDP have promised tickets to women candidates. BJP has fielded Shagun Parihar as its candidate from Kishtwar. The National Conference has given tickets to three women. Shamim Firdaus from Hawakdal, Ittu from TH Pora Sakina and Pooja Thakur from Padar Nagaseni have been nominated. Similarly, PDP has fielded Asia Nikas from Hazratbal and Iltija Mufti from Vijbihar.
At the same time, 9 women are trying their luck in the first phase in Jammu and Kashmir. Daisy Raina is contesting from Rajpora seat from RPI. Independent Gulshan Akhtar is in the fray from Anantnag West seat. Iltija Mufti of PDP from Srigufwara-Bijbehra, Afroza Bano from Kulgam, Sakina Masood Itu from DH Pora are contesting from National Conference. Apart from this, Meenakshi Bhagat is trying her luck from Bhadarwah seat from BSP. Independent candidate Meenakshi Kalra Doda is contesting from West. Pooja Thakur of the National Conference has contested from Paddar-Nagaseni. Shagun Parihar is contesting from Kishtwar on a BJP ticket.
