In six decades, the percentage of women MLAs in the Kerala Assembly has never exceeded 10%
The state with some of the best human development indicators for women in India fails to ensure enough representation for them in its legislature. The state has more than 50% women s representation in local governance institutions. | Arun Sankar / AFP
Kerala’s first Member of the Legislative Assembly was a woman.
Rosamma Punnoose, 44 years-old when Kerala elected its first post-Independence Legislative Assembly in 1957, was elected from the Devikulam constituency in the Idukki district in southeast Kerala. The first MLA to take oath, she became the
protem speaker and went on to administer the oath of office to other MLAs on April 10, 1957.