Haryana has fewer women fighting to represent its few women

• Haryana goes to polls for assembly elections on October 21.
  
• As many as 1,169 candidates are contesting across 90 constituencies — and only 104 women.
  
• Haryana has the lowest sex ratio in the country — which is 832 women for every 1,000 men.
  
• Women represent merely 9% of the total candidates fielding the elections, which is the same as 2014 assembly elections.

As Haryana goes to polls for assembly elections on October 21, as many as 1,169 candidates are contesting across 90 constituencies. But, only 104 of them are women candidates.

Haryana has the lowest sex ratio in the country — which is 832 women for every 1,000 men.

The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) report reflects a stark difference in gender participation among all contesting parties. According to the report, women represent merely 9% of the total candidates fielding the elections, which is the same as 2014 assembly elections.

This is even as political parties are focussing on women-centered issues in their campaigns.

In 2014 elections, Haryana sent 115 women candidates — accounting for 9% of the total participants. As per the records from the 2014 elections, most women MLAs (44) who won the assembly elections in Haryana were fielded by the Congress.

“The reason why women are not given enough tickets is because winnability is a big factor. I think there is a flawed system,’’ Geeta Bhukkal, a former Congress minister and candidate from Jhajjhar told Hindustan Times.

The key contesting parties are the Indian National Congress (INC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). And, with a target of winning 75 seats in Haryana, the BJP has fielded merely 12 women.

On the other hand, Congress — which is focussing on addressing issues of economic slowdown and unemployment crisis — too has only 10 women candidates. The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), which was initially founded as Haryana Lok Dal has the maximum share, 15, in women representation in the elections.

See also:
The top richest Haryana Vidhan Sabha Election 2019 candidates are worth ₹1,200 crore

Haryana Assembly Election 2019: 1,169 candidates in fray for 90 seats