The recent election in Bihar has attracted a great deal of attention, not least because of the resounding victory by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led coalition. Many analysts have pointed to women’s role in determining this verdict.
Over 71 percent women turned out to vote, fueling debates on whether we are witnessing the feminization of democracy in Bihar. Amid these debates, one can discern a paradox that confronts modern Bihar: the fragility of its economy has catalyzed not only the mass migration of its men but also, importantly, an unintentional spurt of political awakening in Bihar’s women. With millions of men leaving the state in search of better economic opportunities, there is a vociferous assumption that this phenomenon leaves women in control of Bihar’s democracy. These debates largely focus on welfarism and its impact on women’s voter turnout.
This discussion runs the risk of overstating women’s presence in Bihar’s electoral politics. Women, both as candidates in the elections and as representatives in the legislature, are significantly below their proportion in the overall population. Bihar is not an exception in this regard. Across India, women are held back from true political portrayal by both social conditioning and concrete factors like a lack of funds.
Participation Without Representation: The gender Gap in candidacy
In both phases of Bihar’s election, women voters turned out in staggering numbers, dramatically outpacing the male turnout (62.8 percent). Though, this trend has regrettably masked the fact that the 2025 Bihar elections witnessed the lowest number of women candidates in the last 15 years.
According to records, 258 women contested the assembly elections against 2,357 male candidates. The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) coalition fielded 35 women (14.40 percent of its total),the INDIA bloc only 32 (13.16 percent),and Jan Swaraj,the newest entrant,handed tickets to 25 women candidates.
The last assembly election in 2020 saw 370 women contesting elections against 3,363 men,meaning only 9.9 percent of candidates were women. That already-low figure dropped to 9.8 percent in the 2025 elections, the lowest proportion in the last 15 years.
This highlights the chasm between what political theorist Anne Phillips refers to as the “politics of ideas” and the “politics of presence.” Primarily, Bihar’s politics has been a theater of the “politics
Diminishing Representation: why Bihar’s Elections Highlight a Persistent Problem for Women in Politics
Despite high voter turnout among women, the recent Bihar state elections reveal a concerning trend: a continued underrepresentation of women in the state assembly. The 2025 election saw only 28 women elected, constituting just 11.5% of the 243-seat assembly – a meaningful drop from the 34 women elected in 2010 and a decline from the 2015 figure of 31. This outcome underscores systemic barriers preventing women from achieving equitable political representation in Bihar, and reflects a broader challenge in Indian politics.
This marginalization isn’t accidental. It stems from deeply ingrained patriarchal structures within political parties, coupled with unequal access to resources for women aspiring to political office. Parties continue to demonstrate a bias against women,not only in allocating seats but also in providing opportunities for advancement within the party hierarchy and in key decision-making roles.
The 2025 election data illustrates this point starkly.Both the National democratic Alliance (NDA) and the INDIA bloc collectively fielded a mere 67 women candidates out of a total of 243, falling far short of the 33% reservation mandated at the national level for women in local bodies. https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/patna-news/bihar-assembly-polls-women-representation-dismal-in-parties-candidate-lists-101761040960899.html
While some women achieved victories – such as Baby Kumari in Bochahan (reserved SC seat), Kavita Devi retaining her seat in Korha, and Sonam Rani winning in Triveniganj – these successes are exceptions that highlight the rule. Their wins are notable because they are rare, demonstrating the significant hurdles women face in entering and succeeding in the political arena.
It’s misleading to suggest that Bihar’s women “decided” the election simply based on their high participation rates. While women’s votes are undeniably powerful, their impact is limited when they lack adequate representation in positions of power. The provision of welfare schemes and cash transfers to women, while vital, doesn’t address the basic issue of a lack of female leadership capable of authentically representing their concerns and lived experiences.
The current situation highlights a critical gap: women are often the recipients of policy, but rarely the authors of it. True progress for Bihar,and a valuable lesson for democracies worldwide,will only be achieved when women’s political presence transcends mere participation and translates into considerable representation within the state assembly and other governing bodies. This requires a fundamental shift in political culture, a commitment to equitable candidate selection, and a dismantling of the systemic barriers that continue to impede women’s progress in Indian politics.
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