Women voters outnumber men in first four phases of Bengal elections, ECI data reveals
Women have inked themselves significantly higher than their male counterparts in the first four phases of elections in which 18 of the 42 parliamentary constituencies (PCs) in Bengal have already witnessed polls. Only 4 of the 18 PCs have registered more polling of male electors in comparison to those of the fairer sex, according to data released by the Election Commission of India (ECI).
In the first phase of polls held on April 19, when three PCs namely Alipurduar, Cooch Behar and Jalpaiguri went to polls, female voting was 82.59 per cent while male polling was 81.25 per cent. It was only Jalpaiguri where male voter turnout was 83.92 per cent, slightly greater than female turnout at 83.40.
In the second phase of elections, held on April 26 when Balurghat, Darjeeling and Raiganj went to polls the situation was no different. Female voting was 77.99 per cent while that of males was 75.22 per cent. In Darjeeling, the male poll percentage of 75.55 surpassed the women's with 73.97 per cent.
The third phase of elections was on May 7 in which four constituencies namely Jangipur, Malda Uttar, Malda Dakshin and Murshidabad went for polls – the female voting was strikingly higher than that of males. Jangipur saw 68.91 per cent of males polling against females voting 82.75 per cent, Malda Uttar had a male voting percentage of 71.33 against females at 82.15 per cent, Malda Dakshin 71.22 against 81.01 and Murshidabad 77.14 against women polling 86.07. The overall percentage of male – female was 72.21 and 83.01 respectively.
The tradition of women dominating the turnout in polling booths continued in the fourth phase too in which eight constituencies went to polls. The exception was in the form of Asansol and Bardhaman–Durgapur, the two urban areas. In Asansol, the male-female polling percentage was 75.14 against 71.33 and in Bardhaman Durgapur it was 81.39 and 80.05.
However in the other six constituencies namely Berhampore, Bardhaman Purba, Birbhum, Bolpur, Krishnanagar, and Ranaghat the percentage of males voting with 73.61, 81.24, 81.27, 81.95, 77.49 and 79.67 per cent respectively was lesser than that of females with 81.62, 84.51, 82.55, 83.40, 84.02 and 84.19 per cent respectively. The overall male-female percentage registered 79 and 81.49 per cent respectively.
Political analysts have linked this development to social schemes by the Bengal government targeted at women, such as Lakshmir Bhandar and Kanyashree.
"These schemes have significantly influenced women's involvement in the electoral process. The participation of migrant labourers is also less in this election, “ a poll analyst said.