[19] VOTES WITHOUT VOICE: PATRIARCHAL MEDIATION OF RURAL WOMEN’S ELECTORAL CHOICES IN INDIA

ARTICLE HISTORY- Date of Submission: Oct 18, 2024, Revised: Nov 20, 2024, Accepted: Nov 30, 2024, https://doi.org/10.56815/ijmrr.v3i4.2024.185-200

Abstract

The fundamental principle of democracy depends on citizens exercising their voting rights as equal and free individuals. Rural India exists as a site where the democratic voting rights of citizens encounter substantial challenges to become a reality. The voting process for rural Indian women becomes subject to household and community oversight instead of personal belief because patriarchal authority restricts their electoral choices. The research investigates how patriarchal structures affect the voting decisions of rural Indian women. The analysis examines how kinship ties and caste systems, and class positions work together to restrict women's political decision-making power,    through secondary data from the Census of India and Election Commission reports and CSDS survey findings. The research demonstrates that Indian democracy faces a fundamental contradiction because women participate in elections in increasing numbers but still lack the freedom to make their own voting choices. The analysis demonstrates through statistical data and visual representations that women participate in high numbers at the polls, yet they face ongoing restrictions in their voting independence. The elimination of patriarchal control over voting ballots stands pivotal for attaining both gender equality and authentic democratic practices in India.