Only 9 pc women among MLAs in five new assemblies: Study

Despite promises by political parties to increase representation of the fair sex, the percentage of MLAs in the new assemblies is even below that of women MPs in the Lok Sabha (11 per cent), says the analysis by Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and National Election Watch.

The study points out that among the 824 newly-elected MLAs in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, only 72 are women.

West Bengal has the highest number of women MLAs -- 34 (12 per cent of the strength of assembly), followed by Assam with 14 (11 per cent), Tamil Nadu 17 (seven per cent) and Kerala 7 (five per cent).

Puducherry Assembly does not have any woman as MLA.Party-wise, the highest number of women MLAs are from Trinamool Congress -- 24 (13 per cent), followed by Congress -- 17 (10 per cent) and AIADMK -- 12 (8 per cent).

A total of 19 (26 per cent) women MLAs out of the total of 72 are crorepatis. The maximum number of crorepati women MLAs is from Tamil Nadu (9) followed by Assam (6) and West Bengal (4), says the study.

The top two women MLAs with highest assets are Jayalalitha (AIADMK) from Tamil Nadu (Rs 51.4 crore) followed by Kasturi Das (Trinamool) from West Bengal (Rs 7.2 crore).

Thirteen women MLAs out of 72 (18 per cent) have pending criminal cases against them. Comparatively, 244 men MLAs out of a total of 752 (32 per cent) have pending criminal cases against them, according to the study.