RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh, besides known to have an impressive sex ratio compared to the national average, has also more women electorates than men. In the two-phase assembly polls, interestingly, the state witnessed participation of more women than men in exercising their right to franchise.
In as many as 50 assembly segments out of the ninety constituencies, more women than men turned out to cast votes. They outnumbered men by over 60 thousand in voting. It is speculated that the women-centric proposed schemes by the political parties may have made a difference that led to a rise in women showing up at polling booths
The encouraging participation by women who decided to vote also led to higher turnout in 74 assembly seats compared to the 2018 assembly elections. As per the final count released by the Election Commission of India (ECI), the Chhattisgarh recorded an overall 76.31 percent turnout.
Out of the 10,256,865 women there were 7,812,631 who voted, giving an impression of awareness of their rights. And 7,748,612 men out of the 10,135,543 male electorates had participated in voting. Chhattisgarh, since its creation as a separate state, has witnessed bipolar politics being a direct contest between the BJP and the Congress.
This time the Congress has given tickets to 18 women while the BJP has fielded 15 in the fray in the midst of the aggressive campaigns when the women’s reservation bill also emerged as a poll plank for the parties during the campaign. Recognising the women’s strength and their role as influential voters in Chhattisgarh polls, the BJP and the Congress gave various assurances.