Why Few Women Are Contesting J & K Polls, Despite Political Resurgence In The State
Political parties in the state are still reluctant to field women candidates because they do not believe in their winnability in a politically charged environment
Women make up just 3% of the candidates who are contesting in the ongoing three-phase assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. This is despite the fact that there is heightened electoral participation in the Valley: the Lok Sabha polls held earlier this year reported a record turnout (60%) as did the first phase of the state polls held last Wednesday (61%).
Women form a significant portion of this voter surge but they are barely visible as candidates. Only 15 of the 459 candidates in the assembly elections are women; and in the Lok Sabha polls held in the state earlier, there was one woman among 34 contestants.
Women politicians and political scholars from the state told Behanbox that this gender skew is largely due to recurring political uncertainty, concerns about safety, the lack of party support, and cultural barriers.
Political participation in Jammu and Kashmir has been revitalised by critical events of the last few years. “The abrogation of Article 370 & 35-A, and the situation that followed have fueled a sense of suppression and dissatisfaction among masses and they want to have their own elected government now,” said political analyst Ahmad Ayaz.
In August 2019, the central government, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies, had taken the unilateral decision to abrogate Articles 370 and 35-A of the Indian Constitution that granted special autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir. This move also led to the reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir into two separate Union Territories: Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
The state is currently going through a three-phase assembly election lasting from September 18 to October 5. In the first phase that covers 24 seats, each constituency is fielding 10-16 candidates, but only 15 women candidates are contesting in a total of 459.
Of these 15 women candidates, three have been fielded by the National Conference, two by the People’s Democratic Party, and one each by the BJP, Bahujan Samaj Party, and Republic Party of India (RPI). The rest are independent candidates.
“I believe women in Kashmiri politics remain an exception rather than the norm,” said Iltija Mufti, daughter of the PDP chief, Mehbooba Mufti. As she filed her nomination from Bijbehara—a constituency widely regarded as the PDP’s stronghold—Iltija said she was concerned about the poor participation of women politicians in the state polls. “The level of participation is not where it should be and this needs to be addressed.”
Iltija’s decision to enter politics is driven by personal and circumstantial factors. In a telephonic conversation with BehanBox, she reflected on her family’s political legacy.
“Having observed my grandfather [Mufti Mohammed Sayeed] and mother up close, I’ve seen how deeply they were consumed by their roles. Personally, I might have preferred to stay away from politics,” she said. “The party believes that I have emerged as a strong voice. Given the current climate of pervasive silence and fear—where even seasoned politicians are hesitant to speak out—the upcoming assembly elections present an ideal opportunity to make a meaningful impact.”
This is Iltija Mufti’s first assembly election, and its context is unique: her mother, Mehbooba Mufti, has chosen not to participate in the electoral process until Article 370 is restored and statehood is reinstated for the valley. This decision underscores a significant political stance, reflecting ongoing concerns about the region’s autonomy and governance.
Over the years, the gender gap has been closing among Indian voters: in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the turnout of both men and men voters stood at about 66%. But women’s participation in elections remains abysmally low having grown only from from 2.9% in 1957 to 10% in 2024.
Limited Opportunities For Women
There are a total of 90 seats in the state, the Jammu division holds 43 and Kashmir 47. The second phase is on September 25, covering 26 seats, and the third and final phase is on October 5, covering 40 seats.
Shameema Firdous, 57, of the National Conference views this election through a different lens—she is focused on addressing the concerns and hardships of the people. “The people of Kashmir are profoundly discontented with the changes that followed the abrogation of Article 370 and 35-A,” she said. “This dissatisfaction is evident in the strong voter turnout. Voters are looking for a government that genuinely represents their interests and effectively addresses unemployment, soaring inflation, and electricity tariffs that have been revised nearly five times over the past year.”
Shameema, who is contesting from Srinagar’s Habba Kadal constituency, first entered the state assembly in 2008 and subsequently served as a minister. Though she comes from a non-political background and established herself as a formidable contender, she acknowledged the significant hurdles faced by women in Kashmiri politics.
“There are numerous challenges, with political instability being a major one, often raising concerns about safety,” she explained. “Traditionally, the political leadership in Jammu and Kashmir has been dominated by men, which has led to limited opportunities for women candidates, particularly in senior positions.”
In Kashmir, the presence of women in politics has historically been limited. It was in 1972 that two women from the Indian National Congress first made their mark in the legislative assembly: Begum Zainab, Ghulam Mohammad Sadiq’s sister, representing Amira Kadal, and Nirmala Devi, who contested from Tikri, Jammu.
There was a notable gap of over two decades before the political landscape in the Valley saw a resurgence of female candidates – in 1996, Mehbooba Mufti and Sakina Itoo made their debut. Both women, mentored by their politician fathers, achieved unbelievable victories in their inaugural elections. They had entered politics at a time when militancy and counter-insurgency were peaking and women were visible only in two fields – medicine and teaching. There was also greater stigma attached then to young women entering politics.
Mehbooba Mufti went on to serve thrice as an MLA and remains the only Kashmiri woman to have been elected to the Lok Sabha twice. She was also the first female Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir. In the 1996 elections, 14 women contested, but only two emerged victorious. The rest lost the polls.
Winnability Perception
“Political parties in Jammu and Kashmir are fielding fewer women candidates due to the perception that male candidates are more likely to win,” said Shameena Firdous who also heads the NC’s women’s wing. “Even in our party women showed interest in contesting from regions like Baramulla and Sopore but the party decided otherwise. Men would also not leave their seats for female candidates. But in the next elections, we will push for more female representation.”
This perspective was echoed by political analyst Ahmad Ayaz. “Women candidates in Kashmir often struggle with limited party support, as political parties prioritise the perceived winnability of a candidate, particularly in a highly charged political environment,” he said.
Research conducted by the Center for National Policy Research on the participation of women in Indian politics highlighted scarce representation. It found that only four women from Jammu and Kashmir submitted nominations for the Lok Sabha elections in 2019, with one withdrawing it later and another failing to pay the security deposit. There were just two women in the fray finally, compared to 61 men. Similarly, just 28 women ran in the 2014 legislative assembly elections, with a total of 831 candidates.
Upto 68.32% of the population of Jammu and Kashmir is Muslim. The remaining population is made up of Hindus (28.44%), Sikhs (1.87%), Buddhists (0.90%), Christians (0.28%), and others (0.01%). But the valley of Kashmir is largely Muslim (97.06%) with a very small Hindu (2.11%)
The problem of low women’s participation is not peculiar to the Muslim community of Jammu and Kashmir. Muslim women’s participation in the rest of India too lags behind that of men and Hindu women. Muslim women constitute 7% of the total population in India, but their political representation is only 0.7%. Politics has a perception problem, being seen as dirty, violent, and corrupt, and it is believed that men from the community are better suited for it. In protests and other political realms, women’s participation is undoubtedly higher, said Uday Chandra, politics and history professor at Georgetown University in Qatar.
“The willingness of young women may be deterred by their families and wider communities. They may be encouraged to study and find professional work in the Indian mainland or overseas,” said Chandra. “Women’s education is quite high 58.1% in the Valley compared to northern India or Pakistan. Women are certainly qualified and encouraged to study, work, etc, but political candidature is a different story.”
Political scientists have extensively documented the advantages of increasing women’s participation in representative institutions. The professor of Political Theory at the London School of Economics, Anne Phillips, has in several research works highlighted the key benefits noting that “women bring unique skills to politics and serve as role models for future generations.” She emphasised that their involvement in politics champions gender justice and ensures that women’s specific interests are represented in state policy, Phillips argued that their inclusion contributes to a “revitalized democracy,” bridging the gap between representation and participation and enhancing the overall democratic process.
Changing Political Landscape
Experts suggest that the high voter turnout has significantly motivated a diverse range of candidates. Additionally, several independent candidates are entering the race, reflecting a broader engagement in the electoral process.
Daisy Raina is set to make history in the upcoming assembly elections as the first female candidate from the Kashmiri Pandit community to run for office in 30 years. The Republic Party of India, an ally of the BJP, has nominated the 56-year-old Raina for the Rajpora seat in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district. Raina, a graduate and social worker, returned to the valley in 2020 and was subsequently elected as a sarpanch for the Trichal village in Pulwama.
Raina credits her daily interactions with young people during her tenure as sarpanch which inspired her to enter the electoral race. While she remains hopeful about her chances, she acknowledges the challenges ahead. In a phone conversation with BehanBox, Raina shared her motivation: “As the first Kashmiri Pandit woman to run for office, my goal is to serve as a role model, empower other women, and boost their confidence to participate in electoral politics.”
Although women in Kashmir aspire to take over different fields and offices, they still face significant challenges and often feel hesitant about campaigning door-to-door for fear of upsetting the conservative members of their community. Family pressures also play a significant role in discouraging female candidates.
“There is a general lack of awareness and experience, as many have only recently begun working in colleges or offices over the past 30 years, primarily in education or healthcare sectors. Bridging the gap to reach the level of political engagement seen in other states will take time,” said historian, writer, and satirist Zareef Ahmad Zareef. “Education alone doesn’t change ingrained societal attitudes, and even within Jammu and Kashmir, there are notable differences. It will take time for women to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with men in politics. Additionally, the region’s ongoing turmoil has contributed to a pervasive sense of fear, further complicating their participation.”
This reluctance makes political parties wary of women candidates – about their ability to campaign, and then about engaging with the political dynamics of the Valley. An indicator is the number of women candidates running for the office as independents.
“Politics in general has come to be seen as a dead-end situation in the Valley. Two major political families stand discredited. Omar Abdullah’s loss in June and the looming fate of Mehbooba Mufti are important here too,” said Chandra. “The new candidates, including independents, may open up new possibilities, especially for minorities such as Kashmiri Shias or activists such as Engineer Rashid. But unlike in eastern and southern India, electoral politics doesn’t offer an avenue for social mobility for women.”
(Shias, a minority among the state’s Muslims, have limited leadership in its politics. But Agha Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, the recently elected MP is a Shia. Engineer Rashid was an independent MLA from Langate for a long time then he was arrested after the abrogation of Article 370 so his son had to file his nomination papers from South Kashmir. Rashid defeated Omar Abdullah while still in jail. Now out on bail, he has formed a party and is contesting the assembly elections.)
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