Women’s representation in GBA polls faces challenges despite expansion

GBA polls expand women’s wards to 174 of 369, but proxy candidacies, nepotism, and uneven reservation still hinder genuine women leadership

The upcoming Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) elections are expected to see a significant rise in women’s representation due to the sharp increase in the number of wards. While the last BBMP polls in 2015 elected 102 women corporators across 198 wards, the new GBA structure—covering five corporations and 369 wards after delimitation—has reserved 174 wards for women.

The Supreme Court has directed that the polls be conducted before June 30, setting the stage for a crucial civic exercise. However, women aspirants and leaders express concern that structural issues may prevent genuine leadership from emerging.

One of the major challenges highlighted is the persistence of ‘proxy culture,’ were male politicians field wives or female relatives as candidates, limiting opportunities for independent women leaders. This practice, coupled with nepotism, has raised doubts about whether the expanded reservation will translate into meaningful empowerment.

The delay in holding local body elections for nearly five years has also weakened grassroots leadership, with many women losing momentum in their political careers. Aspirants without strong political backing continue to struggle for tickets, and intimidation in the form of trolling and harassment has further discouraged participation.

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Delimitation has added another layer of complexity. Wards that earlier had populations of 35,000–80,000 have now been fragmented to around 20,000, leading to uneven application of reservation. Critics argue that the exercise has been politically motivated, with some constituencies seeing fewer women‑led wards have experienced fewer conflicts and stronger development outcomes.

There is also a call for structured political training programmes to prepare women for leadership. Such initiatives would cover constitutional principles, laws, gender justice, gender budgeting, and mentorship. Observers note that Karnataka currently lacks comprehensive training frameworks, leaving many aspirants underprepared for the demands of public office.

As Bengaluru prepares for the GBA polls, the expansion of women’s representation offers promise, but systemic barriers must be addressed to ensure genuine participation and leadership.

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