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• During the first general elections - the voters’ turnout was 40 % in both the Parliamentary as well as the Assembly elections.
• Steady rise and highest during 2000 Assembly elections (62+%).
• The polling percentage started dipping after 2000 and it came down in the subsequent Assembly Elections 2005- Feb.-March (46.49%) and Assembly Elections 2005- Oct.-Nov. (45.91%).
• The gender gap in voters’ turnout was around 20% till 2000.
• Reasons for this gender gap in voters’ turnout : • Insecurity • Lawlessness • Booth capturing • Violence
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• The gender gap in voters’ turnout reduced for the first time in 2005 Assembly elections due to deployment of large contingent of CPF in the State leading to completely peaceful election in the State. • The turnout of female voters was 54.85% as compared to 50.70% for male
voters in 2010 Assembly Election.• The turnaround in the gender gap was visualized in 2010 Assembly
Election, when female VTR was more than men VTR for the first time in elections. The reason for this turnaround was :• Improved law and order situation • Violence free elections due to various measures taken by the ECI• Empowerment of women like 50% reservation to women in Local
Bodies & other measures
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A. Challenges in Registration
• Roll gender ratio not in consonance with the Census gender ratio.• The Census gender ratio is 916, whereas the roll gender ratio is 848. • It shows that there is a big gap in the registration of women in the
electoral roll. • The main reason for the gap in registration of women is non-
registration of women before their marriage.• Enrolment of women is not given priority due to her low status in
the society.
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B. Challenges in Voters’ Turnout
•Insecurity : • The State was famous for booth capturing and violence during elections.• Introduction of EVMs, EPICs, deployment of CPF, Vulnerability
Mapping, Photography/Videography on Polling Stations, deployment of Micro Observers etc. have made the environment largely peaceful for conduct of elections. • From 2004 EVMs were introduced throughout the country. • 2005 was watershed for elections in Bihar, which was conducted
without any major violence. • These measures resulted into enhanced participation of electors
particularly women in the elections.6
•Cultural Inhibition
•Women do not come out of their homes without the permission of Karta – head of the family. • In general, women still want a male member to go outside
or to the Polling Station.•Male migration for seasonal employment in other places -
in their absence, women do not go out to vote. Double whammy !!
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• Lack of Education & Awareness :• Lack of awareness among electors, particularly women - a major
cause of low voting percentage. • The level of awareness among electors - closely associated with
level of education, location (urban/rural), social category, gender, etc. of the electors. • Bihar (63.8%) is least literate State in the country as per Census
2011. The literacy rate among women (53.3%) is far lower than the male counterpart (73.4%). • These issues can be addressed through motivational campaigns,
educating the electors and voters’ facilitation.
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• Inadequate sense of participation
• Politics – considered to be men’s fiefdom.• Less representation of women in political parties/candidates. Only
8.71% contesting candidates were females in 2010 Assembly Election (apathy of political parties in giving tickets to women candidates). • Local Bodies – higher voters’ turnout / higher women’s
participation due to 50% reservation of seats for women; proximate democratic process.
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