59 women make it to 15th Lok Sabha

New Delhi, May 19: Though the Indian Parliament is yet to pass the 'Women Reservation Bill' the general elections2009 witnessed a record of 59 women being elected to the 15th Lok Sabha, with a majority - 23 - belonging to the Congress party alone as per the Election Commission's report.

In all, 556 women had contested the 2009 general elections. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) became the second topper with 13 women being elected. The All India Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) follow with four women each getting elected to the Lok Sabha.

The Janata Dal-United, Shiromani Akali Dal and Nationalist Congress Party have two women MPs each. The Telangana Rashtra Samiti, Rashtriya Lok Dal, Shiv Sena, DMK and Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) have one woman MP each, according to the statement.

355 women contested in 2004 polls of which only 45 won. In 1999 general elections, 284 women contested and 49 were elected.

OneIndia News