Women turnout at 80.86%, highest in recent polls

Kochi: The women voters didn't disappoint as they turned up early and in large numbers to cast their votes as they outnumbered men in most constituencies.While the total polling percentage was around 78.03%, women voters polled 80.86%, higher than the total as well as male voting percent of 75.01% on Thursday. This is the highest voting percentage of women in the last three elections. In 2021, the female voting percentage was 73.48, while it was 75.97 in 2016. The Election Commission of India is yet to release the updated gender breakup of voting percentages in districts or constituencies. Of the total 27,142,952 voters in the state, women account for 13,921,868 voters. Malappuram is the only district with the highest male voters, and only nine out of 140 constituencies have more male voters. Kasaragod, Kondotty, Eranad, Vengara, Vallikunnu, Tirurangadi, Tanur, Tirur and Kottakkal are the constituencies where male voters were in majority.Though there were 92 female candidates in the fray, only 46 women contested from the three main fronts in 40 constituencies. In the last election also, there were only 11% women candidates contesting in the polls.Kongad, which saw all three fronts fielding women candidates, recorded 79.88% voter turnout. LDF's K Santhakumari, UDF's K A Thulasi and NDA's Renu Suresh were the candidates here.TNN