Women MLAs count drops in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, MP; Ageing lawmakers on rise

The strength of women MLAs in Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan assemblies remains much below the one-third mark as provided under the women's reservation bill passed by Parliament recently, data compiled by think tank PRS Legislative Research said.

In Chhattisgarh, 21% of its newly elected lawmakers are women. In 2018, Chhattisgarh had 13 women MLAs, 14% of the total, which has gone up to 19 women now.

In Telangana, the number of women MLAs went up to 10, or 8% of the total. In 2018, the state sent six women to its assembly.

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In Rajasthan, the number of women MLAs was 24 in 2018, which came down to 20 this time. Their number in the Rajasthan assembly has never exceeded 15%, the report said.

In Madhya Pradesh, 30 women were elected to the assembly in 2013, while in 2018, only 21 women could find a place in the House. This time, 27 women candidates got elected in Madhya Pradesh.

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A rise in older MLAs has been reported in the recently held assembly election in four states.

In Chhattisgarh, the proportion of MLAs above the age of 55 years is 41% in the new assembly.

In 2008, the state had 16% of MLAs above this mark, with the number going up to 29% in 2013, and to 40% in 2018.

In MP, 50% of MLAs are above the age of 55 this time. This proportion was 38% in 2018, 30% in 2013, and 21% in 2008.

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In Rajasthan, in 2018, 48% of the elected members (95 out of 200), were above 55. The proportion has marginally decreased in the new Assembly, settling at 46%.

In Telangana, the average age of the newly elected MLAs is 56. The proportion of MLAs above 55 there has increased from 39% in 2018 to 60% in 2023.

When it comes to education, in Chhattisgarh, the proportion of MLAs with at least a graduate degree has reduced from 69% in 2018 to 59% in 2023.

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In MP, the proportion of MLAs with graduation degrees was 44% in 2018.

It has come down to 36% in the latest assembly, while the number of post-graduates has gone up from 27% to 35%.

A majority of the MLAs in Rajasthan have a graduate degree. In 2018 more than half of the elected women and about a quarter of the elected men were post-graduates. The proportion remains similar in 2023.

In Telangana, 72 MLAs elected in 2023 have at least a graduate degree. This is 15% lower than the number in 2018 when it was 85.