Behind every successful parliamentarian in Punjab, women would have an equal role to play. Skewed sex ratio in the State notwithstanding, the equal number of women and men electorates came out to vote on Sunday for 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
The compiled figures released by the state poll panel on Monday, showing that 65.62 percent female exercised their franchise as compared to 66.25 percent males, were enough to display that the weaker sex is standing abreast with the men participating equally in the country’s democratic process to elect their representatives.
In all, 26.51 percent voters of ‘third gender’ too exercised their franchise on Sunday.
However, the state has recorded a dip in the total voter turnout this time at 65.96 percent, against the previous 2014 poll’s overall polling percent of 70.89 percent. In fact, the polling percentage during 2017 state assembly polls was recorded at 77.37 percent.
The state Chief Electoral Officer Dr S Karuna Raju had expected that the state would register voter turnout close to 70 percent.
Notwithstanding improvement in the state’s sex ratio from 874 in 2001 to 895 in 2011, the percentage of the fair sex coming out to poll has seen a decline of whopping 11.41 percent from 2017 assembly polls, and 4.93 percent dip from 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
In the same way, the male and female voting percentage has also plunged by 10.43 percent and 12.51 percent, respectively, as compared to the 2017 elections.
Out of the total 2,07,81,211 registered voters, 2019 elections witnessed 1,37,07,058 exercising their franchise. Out of 1,09,50,745 male, and 98,29,904 female voters, 72,55,905 and 64,51,004 respectively, cast their votes.
Of the total 562 voters enrolled under “third gender” category, as many 149 have exercised their franchise.
Highest 74.10 percent polling was witnessed in Bathinda constituency which has emerged as the hot seat witnessing a multi-cornered contest between the sitting Akali MP and the Union Minister Harsimrat Badal, Congress’ Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Aam Aadmi Party’s Prof Baljinder Kaur, and Punjab Democratic Alliance’s Sukhpal Singh Khaira.
It was closely followed by Sangrur at 72.44 percent, and Ferozepur at 72.30 percent—these three being the only constituencies to have witnessed voter turnout of over 70 percent. The lowest polling was recorded in Amritsar at 57.08 percent.
During 2014 elections, the highest 77.59 percent polling was witnessed in Sangrur constituency, closely followed by Bathinda at 77.46 percent, and Fatehgarh Sahib at 74.03 percent. And the lowest was recorded in Hoshiarpur at 65.16 percent.
Among the assembly constituencies that has witnessed highest and the lowest polling are Budhlada assembly segment in Bathinda at 78.80 percent, and Amritsar West in Amritsar at 49.24 percent respectively.
When the state polled as high as 78.64 per cent during 2012 state assembly polls, it was thought that the high percentage was a vote for change. Contrarily, the results surprised everyone with the SAD-BJP combine winning the two consecutive elections, something that had happened for the first time in the Punjab's history.
As the anti-incumbency factor is prevailing against both the Congress in the state and the BJP-led NDA with SAD as its part at the Centre, the poll analysts believed that it was hard to comprehend in whose favour the wind would blow.
However, the exit polls have indicated an improvement in the tally of the SAD-BJP combine, while the Congress would be able to maintain its grip in the state with major share of seats. AAP, which stunned the traditional political player in 2014 by bagging four seats, is expected to win just about one seat.
At the same time, the exit polls were silent on the performance of the fourth front — the Punjab Democratic Alliance which is a conglomeration of six political outfits.
PDA’s candidates human rights activist Bibi Paramjit Kaur Khalra in Khadoor Sahib, sitting Patiala MP Dr Dharamvir Gandhi in Patiala, sitting Jaiton MLA Master Baldev Singh in Faridkot, are said to be on the firm footing.
Well, it’s just a matter of couple of days more and results will be for all to see on may 23, Thursday.