The women electors in Chandigarh came out in large numbers on the polling day, resulting in record-breaking voters’ turnout after two decades. The fair sex outshone men in voting on Thursday taking the voters’ turnout to 73.84 per cent in the Union Territory of Chandigarh. According to
the Chandigarh Election Department, 74.15 per cent women electors out of total 2,81,046 registered voters turned up for voting while 73.57 per cent male voters out of 3,32,882 registered exercised their franchise on polling day.
As for Chandigarh polls, the history repeated itself. The earlier highest voters’ turnout of 68.1 per cent recorded in 1984 polls has also witnessed large number of women voters participating in the polling process. At that time, 68.5 percent female voters out of total 9,95,55 registered and 67.7 per cent male voters out of 8,90,451 registered electors had came out to vote.
As per the data compiled by the Election Department, a total of 4,53,317 voters including 2,44,901 male and 2,08,413 female voters cast their vote on April 10. The highest voters turnout of 78.59 per cent was recorded in areas, namely village Maloya, Palsora, lal Bahadur Shastri colony Palsora, Badheri, Adarsh colony, Dadumajra, Rajiv labour Colony, Sectors 55 and 56 here.
A higher voters’ turnout was recorded in areas namely village Kishangarh, Bhagwan Pura Manimajra, Railway Colony, Shivalik Enclave, New Indira Colony, Gawala Colony, village and colony Mauli Jagram, village Makhanmajra and village Raipur Kalan. A total of 62,285 voters, including 34,257 male and 28,026 female came out to vote from these areas.
A total of 61,737 electors including 33,161 male and 28,576 females cast their vote in the areas namely Sector 32, 33, 34, 44, 45, 46, village Burail, Burail labour Colony No. 5 (Jail Road), village Faidian, Nizampur Farm, Kesho Ram colony. Sector 48 and Sector 49 Societies House.
The UT Joint Chief Electoral Officer Tilak Raj said, “The voters turnout recorded was 73.84 per cent, the highest ever recorded in the city. The electors in urban as well as rural areas turned up in large numbers to cast their ballot.”
The poll percentage in 2009 lok Sabha polls was 65.5 per cent. The voting percentage was 51.1 per cent in 2004, 48.4 per cent in 1999, 53.7 per cent 1998, 58.4 per cent in 1996, 57.8 per cent 1991, 65.7 per cent in 1989, 68.1 per cent in 1984. In the previous elections from 1967 to 1980, the poll percentage never crossed 68 per cent mark.
Tilak Raj said, “As per the figures compiled so far, the voters’ turnout in urban areas was around 70 per cent while it was about 71 per cent in rural areas of Chandigarh. The women voters’ turned up in huge numbers at the polling booths to cast their ballot, and played a vital role in improving the poll percentage and resulting in highest electors’ numbers.”
“Besides, a large number of youth and senior citizens came out for voting on April 10. It is estimated that more than 60 percent registered youth and senior citizens exercised their franchise,” he added.
In Chandigarh, there are a total of 6,13,938 registered voters including 3,32,888 male voters (54.22 per cent) and 2,81,050 female voters (45.77). The voters in the age of 31 to 40 years comprised 23 per cent of total electors and there are 33,484 youth voters (age 18-21), 63627 senior citizens votes (above 60) in the city.