Delhi Assembly Elections 2025: Women MLAs Hit Record Low with Just 5 Elected
The 2025 Delhi Assembly elections have witnessed a sharp decline in women’s political representation, with only five women elected as MLAs—the lowest in a decade. Despite a higher turnout of female voters (60.9%) compared to men (60.2%), the number of women in the assembly has continued to shrink, reflecting a concerning trend.
Out of 699 candidates, only 96 were women. While major parties fielded female candidates—BJP (9), AAP (9), and Congress (7)—very few managed to secure victories. This marks a setback for gender diversity in Delhi’s political landscape, raising questions about the systemic barriers women face in electoral politics.
Delhi Assembly election 2025: 96 Women Contested Among 699 Candidates
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had fielded nine women candidates, while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Indian National Congress (INC) had nominated nine and seven women candidates, respectively.
Women Elected
Only five women managed to win seats in the new assembly:
- Atishi (AAP) – retained her seat in Kalkaji.
- Neelam Pahelwan (BJP) – won from Najafgarh.
- Rekha Gupta (BJP) – elected from Shalimar Bagh.
- Poonam Sharma (BJP) – Wazirpur.
- Shikha Roy (BJP) – won against Saurabh Bharadwaj, the incumbent from Greater Kailash.
Historical Context
1. This is the most reduced number compared to the last assembly, where there were eight women MLAs.
2. The share of women MLAs in Delhi Assembly has oscillated over time, with nine women MLAs being the high point in 1998.
3. This brings the current women’s representation to 7.1% of the total assembly, a very worrying trend in terms of gender representation.
Voter Turnout
Elections witnessed a higher turnout of women voters at 60.9% as compared to men who achieved 60.2%, hence reflecting growing interest by women in the electoral process.
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