Women Power Takes Center Stage in Assam Panchayat Elections: Almost 60% Candidates Are Women

Guwahati: In a stunning step towards gender representation and youth involvement, Assam is seeing history in the making during its next Panchayat polls. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma disclosed that almost 60% of the candidates are female, representing a watershed moment in the rural politics of the state.

Sharing the news on social media, Sarma declared, “Nominations for #AssamPanchayatPolls closed yesterday. 59% of our candidates are women. A significant number are also under 40 years of age, and many of them have already been elected uncontested. The NDA is set for a landslide victory.”

The Panchayat polls, initially planned for December 2024, were postponed because of a court stay on the notification of the polls. The Gauhati High Court finally granted its approval in January 2025 after the government pleaded for the necessity to go ahead, even as there were legal issues pending over constituency demarcation mistakes.

There were further delays due to logistical hassles, particularly the board exams of Class 10 and 12, which would have been greatly affected by election preparations and overlaps of polling stations in schools in rural areas.

CM Sarma underlined the importance of safeguarding students’ academic interest and making the electoral process smooth.

The feature, though, is the overwhelming woman participation. In an age when debate concerning women’s role in politics gathers momentum at a national level, Assam has set a tremendous example.

The elections also witnessed a plethora of first-time young candidates, with plenty of them falling below the 40-year cut-off age becoming leaders in society.

Assam’s Panchayats are instrumental pillars of rural development and grassroots democracy. The postponement of conducting these elections has had a real-world effect on local self-government as well as the implementation of projects. With the exercise now underway again, the focus on women and youth leadership presents new hope for dynamic, progressive, and inclusive rural government.

This developing story of women coming into decision-making roles is greater than numbers—it’s a **signal of change**. While women grab center stage directing policies and agenda priorities of villages, Assam’s Panchayat polls can well prove to be the example for others across the country.