Keywords
Elections
Feminization
Silent Voters
Welfare Policies
Women Voters
How to Cite
Abstract
The increasing participation of women in Indian assembly elections marks a significant transformation in the democratic landscape. In several states, women voter turnout has not only caught up with but often surpassed that of male voters, an electoral shift often described as the feminization of Indian elections. However, this growing numerical presence conceals a deeper paradox of women representation and participation reaching new highs, yet their political voice and representation remain limited in certain ways. Strengthening women’s independent political agency is crucial for translating their numerical voting strength into actual influence in policy and governance. The women voters as silent voters have shaped the electoral outcome and its dynamics. This paper therefore attempts to examines state level data, with a particular focus on the welfare scheme of surpassed the gendered dimensions- states like Delhi and Maharashtra. By analyzing the political quietude that accompanies higher female turnout, the study questions whether the rise of the women voter has been accompanied by a rise in women political agency, or whether it remains a strategically mobilized but under recognized force in Indian democracy.
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