Women in India were allowed to vote right from the first general elections after the independence of India in 1947 unlike during the British rule who resisted allowing women to vote. The Women's Indian Association (WIA) was founded in 1917. It sought votes for women and the right to hold legislative office on the same basis as men. These positions were endorsed by the main political groupings, the Indian National Congress. British and Indian feminists combined in 1918 to publish a magazine Stri Dharma that featured international news from a feminist perspective. In 1919 in the Montagu–Chelmsford Reforms, the British set up provincial legislatures which had the power to grant women's suffrage. Madras in 1921 granted votes to wealthy and educated women, under the same terms that applied to men. The other provinces followed, but not the princely states (which did not have votes for men either, being monarchies). In Bengal province, the provincial assembly rejected it in 1921 but Southard shows an intense campaign produced victory in 1921. Success in Bengal depended on middle class Indian women, who emerged from a fast-growing urban elite. The women leaders in Bengal linked their crusade to a moderate nationalist agenda, by showing how they could participate more fully in nation-building by having voting power. They carefully avoided attacking traditional gender roles by arguing that traditions could coexist with political modernization.
Women in India were allowed to vote right from the first general elections after the independence of India in 1947 unlike during the British rule who resisted allowing women to vote The Women's Indian Association (WIA) was founded in 1917 It sought votes for women and the right to hold legislative office on the same basis as men These positions were endorsed by the main political groupings the Indian National Congress British and Indian feminists combined in 1918 to publish a magazine Stri Dharma that featured international news from a feminist perspective In 1919 in the Montagu–Chelmsford Reforms the British set up provincial legislatures which had the power to grant women's suffrage Madras in 1921 granted votes to wealthy and educated women under the same terms that applied to men The other provinces followed but not the princely states (which did not have votes for men either being monarchies) In Bengal province the provincial assembly rejected it in 1921 but Southard shows an intense campaign produced victory in 1921 Success in Bengal depended on middle class Indian women who emerged from a fast-growing urban elite The women leaders in Bengal linked their crusade to a moderate nationalist agenda by showing how they could participate more fully in nation-building by having voting power They carefully avoided attacking traditional gender roles by arguing that traditions could coexist with political modernization