BHUBANESWAR: Women voters are set to play a major role and decide the fate of candidates in the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Odisha. The fairer sex constitutes a significant portion of the electorate in the state, with their number increasing steadily in recent years.
As per the latest data of Election Commission of India, the state has 3.35 crore voters, including 1.65 crore women voters, nearly 4.37 lakh less than the number of registered men voters. However, there has been a notable increase in the registration of fresh women voters, with their numbers going up by around three per cent between 2019 and 2024.
With cohesive voting patterns and higher turnout compared to men in the previous elections, including the last three-tier panchayat elections and recent by-elections, women voters have become a pivotal voting bloc that all political parties are vying to woo ahead of the elections. The three major political parties of the state - BJD, BJP and Congress have already tailored their campaigns to appeal to this influential section. BJD has been at the forefront of implementing schemes and initiatives targeted at women empowerment and welfare.
The regional party has pinned hope on women welfare schemes like ‘Mission Shakti’, which aims to empower women financially through self-help groups (SHGs) and entrepreneurship revolution. Initiatives like Mamata and KALIA have also provided financial assistance and support to women in need, further solidifying the party’s appeal to women voters.
BJP has made concerted efforts to appeal to women voters claiming that the Centre pays a lion’s share of the interest subvention made for loans disbursed to women SHGs. The party has also focused on issues such as women’s safety, healthcare, and education. The Congress party is not left behind. It has promised to waive loans of SHGs and financial assistance of Rs one lakh per year to one woman each in all poor families under the party’s Mahalaxmi Guarantee if the party is voted to power in Odisha.
Retired professor of Public Administration Swarnamayee Tripathy said women voters are poised to play a pivotal role in deciding the fate of candidates. The awareness and empowerment have resulted in their demand for policies and programmes that address their specific needs and concerns. Gone are the days when they were only exercising the franchise, now they are also participating in campaigns and playing a decisive role in forming the government, she said.
Power to the lady
Odisha has 3.35 crore voters of whom 1.65 crore are women
Women voters are around 4.37 lakh less than number of registered men voters
Number of women voters has gone up by around 3 pc between 2019 and 2024
Of 147 Assembly segments in Odisha, women voters outnumber their men counterparts in 43
It is five out of 21 Lok Sabha constituencies
Number of women voters in 12 out of 30 districts is higher than men.
Electoral roll gender ratio in the state has also grown from 922 in 2014 to 972 in 2024.
There are 43 Assembly segments where the electoral gender ratio is greater than 1,000 and 3.5 lakh women voters are aged 18-19 years
State has 3.4 lakh first time women voters and the gender ratio grew from 739 to 837 in the 18-19 year age group