Karnataka cabinet all-male, women’s representation ignored

The Story in Brief

Karnataka’s new Congress cabinet, sworn in without a single woman minister, has drawn sharp criticism from women’s rights groups. Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar told the media there was “no urgency” to include women, though he promised the one vacant slot would go to a woman. The all-male 33-member team was finalised after days of caste-based negotiations, with women’s representation ignored.

The Hindu reports that a feminist network, Naveddu Nilladiddare, called the exclusion “a political choice,” not an oversight. In the 2023 assembly elections, only 10 women won out of 224 seats, about 4.5%. Congress, which nationally pushes for 33% women’s reservation, runs on two women-focused schemes: Rs 2,000 monthly under Gruha Lakshmi and free bus travel under Shakti.