09-30-2012, 06:34 AM
(This post was last modified: 09-30-2012, 06:36 AM by G.Subramaniam.)
epw - The recent elections to
urban local governments in
Uttar Pradesh showed an
astonishing increase in Muslim
representation. In a state where
they constitute 18% of the total
population, Muslim candidates
were elected to almost a third of
the urban local body seats. What
is even more surprising is that
this trend is present in all regions
of the state.
Paradigm Shift?
What is most signifi cant about this civic
poll is the paradigm shift it seems to
indicate in the political representation
of Muslims in UP. The proportion of
Muslims elected to the UP state legislative
assembly was 13.8% (56 out of 403
seats) in 2007, which rose to 17.12% (69
out of 403 seats) in 2012. In the parliamentary
elections, the proportion of
Muslims elected from UP was 13.75%
(11 out of a total of 80 Lok Sabha seats)
in 2004 which declined to 8.75% (seven
out of 80 seats) in 2009. Given that Muslims
constitute about 18.5% of the total
population of UP, the number of elected
Muslim representatives in the state assembly
and the Lok Sabha has remained
lower than their population. However,
in the recently concluded ULB elections
Muslims have been over-represented in
them, winning 31.15% of the total seats
in the various ULBs.
What is even more remarkable is that
Muslim candidates have won a greater
share of seats than their share of population
at every level of the ULBs. In the 12
nagar nigams, though no Muslim was
elected as mayor, 21.4% Muslims were
elected as members. In the nagar palikas,
Muslims account for 31.9% of the presidents
and 33.86% of the members. In
the urban panchayats, 26.6% of the
presidents and 30.7% of the members
are Muslims.
urban local governments in
Uttar Pradesh showed an
astonishing increase in Muslim
representation. In a state where
they constitute 18% of the total
population, Muslim candidates
were elected to almost a third of
the urban local body seats. What
is even more surprising is that
this trend is present in all regions
of the state.
Paradigm Shift?
What is most signifi cant about this civic
poll is the paradigm shift it seems to
indicate in the political representation
of Muslims in UP. The proportion of
Muslims elected to the UP state legislative
assembly was 13.8% (56 out of 403
seats) in 2007, which rose to 17.12% (69
out of 403 seats) in 2012. In the parliamentary
elections, the proportion of
Muslims elected from UP was 13.75%
(11 out of a total of 80 Lok Sabha seats)
in 2004 which declined to 8.75% (seven
out of 80 seats) in 2009. Given that Muslims
constitute about 18.5% of the total
population of UP, the number of elected
Muslim representatives in the state assembly
and the Lok Sabha has remained
lower than their population. However,
in the recently concluded ULB elections
Muslims have been over-represented in
them, winning 31.15% of the total seats
in the various ULBs.
What is even more remarkable is that
Muslim candidates have won a greater
share of seats than their share of population
at every level of the ULBs. In the 12
nagar nigams, though no Muslim was
elected as mayor, 21.4% Muslims were
elected as members. In the nagar palikas,
Muslims account for 31.9% of the presidents
and 33.86% of the members. In
the urban panchayats, 26.6% of the
presidents and 30.7% of the members
are Muslims.