NEW DELHI/RANCHI: Voter turnout among the women exceeded the men's by almost 4.7 percentage points in Ph-I of the Jharkhand elections, with the trend seen in all but six of 43 assembly constituencies that went to the polls Wednesday.
The state witnessed an overall EVM turnout of 66.6%, 2.7 percentage points higher than the 63.9 polling recorded in the 2019 assembly polls. Female EVM turnout was a shade over 69%, even as male voters lagged behind with 64.3% participation. Third-gender voters clocked 31% turnout.
INDIA bloc claimed the female turnout showed the popularity of welfare schemes of the Hemant Soren govt, the Maiyya Samman Yojana in particular. BJP, on the other hand, said the high turnout showed women's disenchantment with the Soren govt.
37 of 43 Jharkhand seats saw higher female turnout in Phase-1 A daily account of such postal ballots received are given to all candidates. INDIA bloc, comprising JMM, Congress and RJD, claimed higher turnout of women showed popularity of welfare schemes of the Hemant Soren govt, Maiyya Samman Yojana in particular under which Rs 1,000 per month is given to women beneficiaries.
BJP, on the other hand, said high turnout showed women's disenchantment with Soren govt. "They have voted in large numbers because they are fed up with over 7,000 cases of crimes against women in the past five years. They have voted in large numbers because BJP promised Rs 2,100 under Gogo Didi Yojana," BJP spokesperson Pratul Shahdeo said.
Of 43 assembly constituencies (AC) that voted on Nov 13, 37 recorded a higher female turnout as compared to men. Only six ACs - Potka, Jugsalai, Jamshedpur East, Seraikela, Tamar and Khunti - recorded higher male polling percentage, though the gender gap was less than one percentage point in four of these six ACs. In Barkatha and Barhi, the gap between female and male turnout was almost 17 percentage points and 15 percentage points, respectively.
Baharagora witnessed highest overall turnout at 79.3%, thanks to its women voters whose participation was 81.6%. Kharsawan followed with 79.1% overall turnout and almost 80% polling by women. Ranchi witnessed urban apathy and recorded the lowest polling at 52.5%. While 13 of the 43 ACs covered in Phase 1 recorded a turnout of over 70%, polling was in the range of 60-70% for 25 ACs and below 60% for five ACs.
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