NEW DELHI: A significant number of ‘Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups’ (PVTGS) and other tribes participated in the electoral process in the nine states, including Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh and Gujarat.
They reportedly exercised their franchise in large numbers in the first and second phases of the Lok Sabha polls.
Notably, the Sharpen tribe of Great Nicobar participated in the elections after a couple of years of sustained efforts by the Election Commission of India (EC). As per an official source, Madhya Pradesh has three groups of PVTGS, namely Baiga, Bhariya and Sharai, and they were seen casting their vote enthusiastically.
Tribal theme-based polling stations were set up to welcome them at various places. In Karnataka, there are 55,815 PVTGS, of whom 39,498 are registered in electoral rolls. Forty polling stations have been established with unique tribal themes to welcome them.
Kerala has 4,750 PVTGS, of whom 3850 are enrolled as eligible electors through unique campaigns by the EC.
There are 817 tribal voters aged between 80 and 90 in Kerala. In Odisha, 13 PVTGS are having a population of 2,64,972. Of them, 1,84,274 have enrolled as PVTGs. Bihar has only five PVTGs in the tribal population, with a total population of 7,631 in 10 districts. Three thousand one hundred forty-seven have been enrolled in the electoral rolls. Jharkhand has nine tribal categories with a population of 2,58,266. A total of 1 69,288 are registered voters.
In Gujarat, there are five tribal groups spread in 15 districts. Eighty-six thousand seven hundred fifty-five are registered in the electoral rolls to vote in the third phase of polls on May 7.
Tamil Nadu has six groups of PVTGS, and they are 2,26,3000 in number. And out of 1,62,049 adult PVTGS, 1,61,932 are registered electors. There are five PVTGs in Chhattisgarh, with a combined population of 1,86,918 in 18 districts. Of them, 1,20,632 are registered in the electoral rolls.