It is for the first time since the formation of Haryana that a maximum number of 32 woman candidates are in the fray for 10 lok Sabha seats in the State.
A total number of 299 candidates have filed their nomination papers for lok Sabha polls in Haryana. The candidates include 267 male and 32 female candidates.Since Haryana carved out as a separate State from Punjab in 1966, maximum number of 32 woman candidates would be contesting the polls this time. However, the total percentage of female candidates contesting lok Sabha election in the State is 10.70 whereas male percentage is 89.30.
The polling in the State would be held on April 10.The women candidates had started contesting for the parliamentary elections since 1971, when alone women candidate filed her nomination against 108 men candidates, whereas parliamentary elections started since 1967, when none of the woman candidate came forward to contest elections.
Two women candidates dared to contest in 1977 against 104 male candidates, eight in 1980 against 216 men, 16 females in 1984 against 367 male, 10 each in 1989 and 1991 against 470 and 334 men contenders respectively. Similarly, 15 female candidates contested in 1996 against 444 males, 11 in 1998 against 186 men, only four females in 1999 against 138, 20 women candidates in 2004 against 211 men, 31 women candidates in 2009 against 254 and 32 women in 2014 against 267 male contenders for ensuing lok Sabha polls.
In upcoming elections, four women candidates are in the fray against 16 in Ambala lok Sabha constituency, five against 31 men in Kurukshetra, only one woman candidate against 24 male candidates in Sirsa, four against 43 in Hisar, four against 29 in Karnal, three against 26 in Sonepat, only two against 17 male candidates in Rohtak constituency, two women against 29 in Bhiwani-Mahendragarh constituency, three against 27 in Gurgaon constituency, four against 28 in Faridabad constituency.
According to the sociologists, the main reason behind negligible participation of women candidates in the lok Sabha elections is due to social set up in the state especially in rural areas, where elders do not allow women to take part in political function at all.