More Women Than Men Voted In Bihar In Phase Four Lok Sabha Elections

Phase four Lok Sabha data released by the Election Commission is in and continuing the on-going trend of women voters outnumbering men during polls, women have again voted in larger numbers in several states and Union Territories as per the EC data. Apart from this the overall percentage of voter turnout has also gone up exceeding the turnout during 2014 Lok Sabha Elections by 2.46 percentage of points. The voter turnout was 63.05% in phase four in 2014, and 65.51% in 2019.

Even as women voters’ percentage went up, it was still lesser than men as 20.31 crore women voted compared to over 21.5 crore men. The fourth phase took place on April 29 and consisted of 71 constituencies across nine states and a part of the Anantnag seat in Jammu & Kashmir. Among the states that polled Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand registered the highest increase in voter turnout. MP voter turnout rose by 10.06 percentage points from 64.8% in 2014 and Jharkhand by 7.57 percentage points. In the total of nine states that queued up in front of polling booths in phase four, only Bihar saw a higher women turnout of 1.73% jump compared to the 2014 polls.

Even in phase three and phase two the constituencies in Bihar that went to poll, women voters came out in larger numbers than men. Several constituencies of Kerala that went to poll in phase three saw a higher women voter turnout than men including Vadakara (89,546), Ponnani (83,416), Attingal (81,550), Kasargod (81,281) and Thrissur (62,954). Both men and women voter turnout increased as compared to 2014 election as 76.48 per cent men voted in comparison to 73. 95 per cent in 2014 and 78.80 per cent women voted this year as against 73.85 per cent in 2014 increasing women’s percentage by 2.32 against men. The highest jump in voter turnout percentage was seen by Daman and Diu with 52.42% while it came down by about 6% from 2014. Goa and West Bengal also saw a fall in voter turnout since 2014.

In the total of nine states that queued up in front of polling booths in phase four, only Bihar saw a higher women turnout of 1.73% jump compared to the 2014 polls.

Second phase which was held on April 18 saw Manipur and Puducherry women queuing up in larger numbers outside polling stations to cast their votes as compared to men. Over 53% women voted in Manipur improving the turnout by 6% but Puduchery and Tamil Nadu saw a decline by 0.77% and 1.65% respectively.

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Consecutively in first phase when 91 constituencies across 18 States and two Union Territories went to poll on April 11 nine states and UTs including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha, West Bengal, Lakshwadeep, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya saw a higher women voter turnout than men. While Meghalaya registered the highest of 52.13% which is a jump of almost 2.5% in the overall participation (71.32%) compared with the 2014 election.

Picture credit- IndiaTV

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