Political Empowerment of Tribal Women Legislators and Parliamentarians in (Odisha) - An Indian State

Women empowerment has become a challenging issue in modern era. The political empowerment of tribal women has changed due to progress of education and economy. Political empowerment or participation of women will be ensured at all levels of local governments, state Assemblies and national parliament. Thus the study has referred to 33% reservation of women in State Assemblies and Parliament. The tribal women of Odisha are more sincere and honest than non-tribals. It is proposed to study the nature of political participation and representation of tribal women in Odisha. The nature and dynamic of participation of tribal women in Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assembly elections have been studied from its proper perspective. The study has been observed that not a single tribal woman contested the elections to the State Legislative Assembly in the elections held in 1951–52, 1957 and 1967. However, in 1961 midterm poll, a lone tribal woman candidate unsuccessfully contested the elections. The first election which the tribal women contested in the Lok Sabha election held in the year 1977. It is significant to note that success for the first time came to the tribal women candidates in 1980 elections to the State Legislative Assembly in which four of them were elected. It has given importance to total number of thirteen tribal women were elected to Legislative Assembly since 1951–52 to 2014. Four parliamentarians have been elected to Lok Sabha since 1991 to 2014. It is noted that three tribal women have been elected to Rajya Sabha Since 1952 to 2014.