WOMEN AND POLITICAL CHANGE IN KERALA SINCE INDEPENDENCE THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE COCHIN UNIVERSITY or SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FOR THE AWARD or THE DEGREE or DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY UNDER THE FACULTY or SOCIAL SCIENCES BY KOCHUTHRESSIA, M. M. UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF DR. J. T. PAYYAPPILLY PROFESSOR SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES COCHIN UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COCHIN - 682 022, KERALA October 1 994 CERTIFICATE Certified that the thesis "Women and Political Change in Kerala since Independence" is the record of bona fide research carried out by Kochuthressia, M.M. under my supervision. The thesis is worth submitting for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy under the Faculty of Social Sciences. 2’/1, 1 :3£7:L§¢»Q i9¢Z{:;,L<‘ Professorfir.J.T.§ay§a%pilly///// ” School of Management Studies Cochin University of Science and Technology Cochin 682 022 Cochin 682 022 12-10-1994 DECLARATION I declare that this thesis is the record of bona fide research work carried out knrxme under the supervision of Dr.J.T.Payyappilly, School (HS Management. Studies, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Cochin 682 022. I further declare that this thesis has not previously formed the basis for the award of any degree, diploma, associateship, fellowship or other similar title of recognition. ¥E;neL£C-fl:H12§LJJ;/f1;H. Kochuthfe§§ia7—§iM. Cochin 682 022 12-10-1994 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Once the topic "Women and Political Change in Kerala since Independence" was selected for the study, I received a lot of encouragement from many men and women who'are genuinely concerned about the results (M5 gender discrimination. As their supportive presence has gone a long way in the completion of my thesis I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to them right at the outset. It was Dr.N.Parameswaran Nair, my first guide who revealed to me the true and correct dimensions of the issues involved in the problem of the study. The clarity of his vision and the logic of his thinking have always helped me very much to be in the right path of searching and researching. He opened my eyes to many things which I thought I knew and felt I should have known but I did not. I owe a big debt to him for his unerring guidance all along my work. But unfortunately he could not guide me till the end of my study because of his unusually heavy schedule. Hence I was constrained to seek the help of another suitable guide. Luckily, Dr.J.T.Payyappilly readily and wholeheartedly expressed his consent to be my guide. The successful completion of my study was only because of his able guidance and constructive suggestions. I acknowledge with deep gratitude his unstinted help and wholehearted co-operation. I must also acknowledge my indebtedness to Pxc£.P.R.Poduval: the Director CM? School of Management Studies, Cochin University, for his great academic concern for me, the timely help extended and the fruitful suggestions offered to make my study meaningful. iii I would like to pdace (N1 record, my pmofound gratitude to Sri.Radhakrishnan, 12., for rug; humane approach enui moral support without which this topic would never be. I extend my sincere gratitude to Dr.Sr.Chrisologa, Principal, Vimala College, Thrissur-9, for her persistent inspiration, constant encouragement and loving support which she gave in ample measure 0 I am happy to record my thanks to my religious superiors and sisters of the community who allowed me to pursue this study. My thanks are due to, Prof.A.P.Sarada who reviewed the manuscript thoroughly and patiently, and offered accurate and extensive comments the Librarians and Staff members of Kerala Legislature Library, Thiruvananthapuram University Library, Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram Public Library, Thiruvananthapuram Centre for Development Studies, Thiruvananthapuram Sri.Babu Kariat K., for his diligent and careful typing of the manuscript to all those who have been especially with me in this journey. iv Above all I kxmv to My (Rxl, who tun} been reminding xmz, time and again that "Unless the Lord builds the house those who build it, labour in vain" (Ps.l26:l). so the Lord has built it, and in His infinite blessing and fatherly care, here I present this doctoral thesis for the glory of God and the service of humanity with thanks to one and all! Kochuthressia, M.M. Table No.List of TitleTables Page 3.1 The Years Granting Women's Right to Vote 35 3.2 Women Heads of Government in the 20th Century 41 3.3 Percentage of Women in Parliament : 1987 44 3.4 Countries where Women have Achieved at least Ministerial10 Percent of the Positions atLevel the 46 DetailsIndia of Constituent Assembly : 1946 Members of 77 Voting1952 Percentage in the -Lok Sabha1991 Elections: 82 Number of Women Contested and Elected to the Lok Sabha : 1952 - 1991 84 Party Affiliation of Women Candidates and the Number of Women Elected to the Lok Sabha : 1957 - 1991 (All India) 88 WomenIndia Ministers in : the 1952 Central Government - 1991 of 90 Details of Electorates and the Votes Polled in theElections Kerala Legislative : Assembly1957 (KLA) -1991 180 Percentage of Votes Exercised by Men and Women in the KLA Elections : 1957 - 1991 182 7.3 Percentage of Men and Women in the total Population since 1941 187 vi Percentage of Men and Women in the Total Population during Election years (Projections) 188 Details of Electorates and Votes Polled in the Lok Sabha Elections in Kerala : 1957-1991 193 Percentage of Votes Exercised by Men and Women in the Lok Sabha Elections in Kerala : 1957 — 1991 194 Travancore Legislative Councils : 1921-32 206 Number of Members in the Travancore Sri Mulam Assembly : 1933 - 47 Number of Members in the Sri Chitra State Council : 1933 — 47 208 Membership of the Cochin Legislative Council : 1925 - 45 210 Number of Members of the Cochin and Travancore Legislative Assemblies for the Period : 1948 - 49 212 Membership of the Travancore - Cochin Legislative Assembly : 1949 — 56 213 Number of Members who Represented the Erstwhile Malabar District in the Madras Legislative Council : 1921 - 56 214 Number of Members who Represented the Erstwhile Malabar District in the Madras Legislative Assembly : 1937 - 51 215 vii Women Legislative Members in Pre-independent Kerala 216 Women in the Elections to the Kerala State Legislative Assembly : 1957 - 1991 222 Party—wise Break-up of Women Candidates and of those Getting Elected in the Kerala Legislative Assembly Elections : 1957 — 1991 223 List of Elected Women Members of the Kerala Legislative Assembly : 1957 - 1991 227 Kerala Legislative Assembly Elections ­ Percentage of Men and Women Candidates Elected and the Total Men and Women Contested : 1957 - l99l 233 Representation of Women Members in the First to Tenth Kerala Legislative Assembly: 1957 - 1991 235 8.15 Cabinet Chronology - Membership of the Council of Ministers of Kerala (Men - Women Break-up) : 1957 - 1991 254 Party Position of Men and Women Legislators of the Kerala Legislative Assembly : 1957 — 1991 258 8.17 Personal Details of Women MLAs of Kerala 260 Average Age of Men and Women in the Kerala Legislative Assembly : 1957 - l99l 263 Age-group Distribution of Men Legislators of the Kerala Legislative Assembly 1957 - 1991 268 Age-group Distribution of Women Legislators of the Kerala Legislative Assembly : 1957 - 1991. 269 Educational Background of Men Legislators of the Kerala Legislative Assembly : 1957 - 1991 271 Educational Background of Women Legislators of the Kerala Legislative Assembly : 1957 - 1991 272 8.23 Occupational Background of the Men Legislators of the Kerala Legislative Assembly : 1957 - 1991 -275 8.24 Occupational Background of the Women Legislators of the Kerala Legislative Assembly : 1957 — 1991 276 8.25 Statement Showing the prior Legislative Experience of the Members of the Tenth KLA : 1991 279 Statement Showing the Legislative Experience of the Women Members from the First to Tenth KLA : 1957 - 1991 280 8.27 Number of Men and Women Elected in 15 State Legislative Assemblies in India:l957 - 1988 282 Percentage of Men and Women Membership in 15 State Legislative Assemblies in India ° 1957 - 1988. 283 ix Number of Women Contested and Elected in the Assembly Elections to 15 State Legislative Assemblies in India : 1957 - 1988 286 9.1 Percentage of Parliamentary Seats Occupied by Women 290 Men and Women Membership in the House of Commons (UK) : 1945 — 1992 292 Representation of Men and Women Members in the Lok Sabha : 1952 -1991 (All India) 294 State-wise Women Members of the Lok Sabha : 1952 -1991 (All India) 295 Kerala women in the Elections to the Lok Sabha : 1952 -1991 (All India) 297 Party Details of Contested and Elected Women to the Lok Sabha Elections from Kerala: 1951 - 1991 301 Party Position of Women in the Lok Sabha in India : 1952 - 1991 302 Age-group Distribution of Men and Women Elected to the Lok Sabha from Kerala : 1962 - 1991 307 Average Age of Men and Women Elected to the Lok Sabha from Kerala : 1962 — 1991 309 Age-group Distribution of Women Members of the Lok Sabha from 1962 — 1991 (All India) 310 9.11 Educational Background of Men and Women in the Lok Sabha from Kerala : 1962 - 1991 312 Educational Background of Women Members of the Lok Sabha 1962 - 1991 (All India) 313 Occupational Background of Men and Women Elected to the Lok Sabha from Kerala : 1962 - 1991 315 Occupational Background of Women Members of the Lok Sabha from 1962 - 1991 (All India) 316 Representation of Women Members in the Rajya Sabha : 1952 - 1992 (All India) 317 10.1 Details of Kerala Panchayat Election : 1979 331 10.2 Presidents and Vice - Presidents of the Panchayat Election