Maharashtra has seen a substantial decline in female voter turnout in the most recent Lok Sabha elections. Women voters’ responses are 4.41% less than men’s, a notable decrease from the 3.75% gap seen in 2019. Experts blame other socioeconomic problems, inflation, and political indifference for this fall.
Key Insights: Decline in Female Voter Turnout
Though the state of Maharashtra had a little increase in voter turnout from 60.79% in 2019 to 61.33% overall, the rate of female involvement is still alarming. Only 59.04% of women registered, compared to 63.45% of men, while the turnout was only 48.01% among women. Even though overall voter engagement has increased, this drop is still noticeable.
Urban vs. Rural Voting Patterns
It’s interesting to note that female voter turnout was lower in cities than in rural areas. In the subsequent stage, which included eight constituencies in Yavatmal and Marathwada, the difference in gender turnout was a mere 1.8%. On the other hand, urban constituencies in phases four and five, such as Mumbai and Pune, showed gaps that ranged from 5.44% to 3.95%.
Notable Constituency Data
- Mumbai South: 50.01% of women and 50.09% of men participated in the poll.
- Mumbai North: 56.12% of women and 57.83% of men participated in the polls.
- Thane: 50.78% of voters were female and 53.22% were male.
- Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg: 60.88% of voters were female and 64.21% were male.
In Beed, there was a 5.01% disparity in turnout between the sexes (73.28% for males and 68.27% for women). There was a lesser difference of 2.39% in Gadchiroli, the tribal constituency in Maharashtra with the highest turnout.
Unique Case in Baramati
The lowest female attendance was observed in Baramati, the only constituency where there was a direct race between two women, Sunetra Pawar of the NCP-Ajit Pawar faction and Suriya Sule of NCP (SP). The difference in turnout was 5.99%, with 62.35% of men and 56.36% of women voting. An official speculated that female voters may have been confused or enraged by the political battle within the same family.
Transgender Voter Turnout
Notwithstanding the Election Commission’s best efforts, transgender voter turnout remained low. Just 25.35 percent of the 5,720 transsexual people who were registered to vote did so. According to Deepak Sonawane of the Bhakar Foundation, this is because of challenges with voter registration and a recent move brought on by police activity in Pune.
Experts’ Opinions
The decline in female voter turnout could be attributed to a number of things, including discontent with Maharashtra’s political system. The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) founder, Jagdeep Chhokar, pointed out that low female attendance is not specific to Maharashtra and is frequently correlated with social structures and literacy rates.
The Additional Chief Electoral Officer of Maharashtra, Kiran Kulkarni, agreed that a scientific investigation was required to determine the fundamental causes. He brought up the possibility that variables like a lack of water could affect people’s decisions to vote.
Results
The notable decline in Maharashtra’s female voter turnout underscores the necessity for a more comprehensive examination of the socio-political factors influencing women’s involvement in elections. It will be essential to comprehend and address the underlying causes as the state navigates these difficulties if it hopes to increase democratic engagement among all voter segments.
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