Fewer women, more graduates in eighth Delhi assembly

The eighth Delhi assembly will have fewer women members but a higher number of lawmakers with graduate degrees, according to a report.

The report by PRS Legislative Research found that five women had been elected to the 70-member assembly, representing 7 per cent of the House. Four women MLAs are from the BJP, while Atishi is the AAP's only woman member in the House following the declaration of assembly election results on Saturday 8 February. In 2020, eight women were elected.

The BJP swept to power in Delhi after more than 26 years, winning 48 of the 70 assembly seats. AAP won 22 seats while the Congress drew a blank in the polls held on 5 February.

The percentage of MLAs with graduate degrees has risen to 38 in the eighth assembly, from 34 in the seventh. MLAs with postgraduate degrees and above remain unchanged at 26 per cent.

About 61 per cent of the newly-elected MLAs listed politics or social work as their profession, compared to 67 per cent in the previous assembly.

The number of MLAs who listed their profession as business also registered an increase from 29 per cent in the seventh assembly to 49 per cent in the eighth.

The average age of the members is 52, the report found. According to the report, 13 per cent of the new MLAs are aged between 25 and 40, down from 23 per cent in the previous assembly.

The number of MLAs aged between 41 and 55 is unchanged at 49 per cent while 34 per cent are aged between 56 and 70, and 4 per cent above 70 years old. In the previous assembly, 28 per cent of members were aged 56 and above.