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.
Reading the thoughts of the first generation of Independent India’s women political leaders
The Constituent Assembly of India had 15 women members, each of whom brought unique perspectives to the debates over the Constitution. 11 of the 15 women members of India s Constituent Assembly | Meera Velayudhan/CWDS
India has had its significant share of influential women politicians over the years. It’s a tradition that goes back to the freedom struggle, which had significant participation by women.
When the Constituent Assembly of India was formed in 1946 to draw up a Constitution for the soon-to-be independent nation, it had 15 women members. They are mainly known as freedom fighters but they were also opinionated political leaders, who were unafraid to speak their minds and passionately advocated their beliefs.
The award would be bestowed on a woman who works for the empowerment of other needy women and those toil to uplift the marginalised among them, state Health Minister K K Shailaja said here on Monday.