PUNJAB POLL 2022: Women outnumber men in polling in Ludhiana South

Tribune News Service

Nitin Jain

Ludhiana, February 22

In what appears to be an indication of women empowerment, the fairer sex outnumbered male voters in polling in the Ludhiana South Assembly constituency, the district election office has confirmed.

This was, however, in contrast to the poor participation of women in the poll fray. Of the total 175 candidates, only 12 women were contesting the elections in Ludhiana, which sends a maximum of 14 MLAs, accounting for almost 12 per cent of the total 117 members, to the Punjab Vidhan Sabha.

However, in rest of the 13 Vidhan Sabha segments in the district, men polled more votes than women.

While the highest female voter turnout of 75.36 per cent in the district was recorded in the Samrala Vidhan Sabha segment, the lowest of 58.58 per cent women polled their votes in the Atam Nagar seat.

The final cumulative polling figures of the district, a copy of which is with The Tribune, revealed that of the total voter turnout of 67.67 per cent, 68.79 per cent were men, 66.39 per cent women and 23.44 per cent polled votes were that of third gender.

Of the total 26,93,131 voters in all 14 Assembly seats, 18,22,334 exercised their franchise, of which 9,87,525 were male, 8,34,779 were female and 30 were third gender.

Since the overall voter turnout of the district this time was almost seven per cent less than 74.81 per cent polling recorded during the 2017 Assembly polls in Ludhiana, the gender-wise polling on Sunday was also less than the votes polled by 75.24 per cent men, 74.32 per cent women and 27.27 per cent third gender in 2017.

In 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the district’s 14 Assembly constituencies had logged 62.78 per cent voter turnout, including 64.53 per cent men, 60.77 per cent women and 24.18 per cent third gender.

The constituency-wise voter turnout showed that Khanna’s total polling of 74.41 per cent, comprised 75.2 per cent male, 73.55 per cent female and 25 per cent third gender, Samrala’s 75.49 per cent included 75.62 per cent men, 75.36 per cent women and 20 per cent third gender, Sahnewal’s 67.43 per cent comprised 68.7 per cent male, 65.94 per cent female and 25 per cent third gender, Ludhiana East’s 66.23 per cent included 67.26 per cent men, 65.01 per cent women and 20.83 per cent third gender, Ludhiana South’s 59.04 per cent comprised 58.96 per cent male, 59.15 per cent female and 7.69 per cent third gender, Atam Nagar’s 61.25 per cent included 63.67 per cent male, 58.58 per cent female and 11.11 per cent third gender, Ludhiana Central’s 61.77 per cent comprised 63.91 per cent men, 59.2 per cent women and 18.52 per cent third gender, Ludhiana West’s 63.73 per cent included 65.61 per cent male, 61.73 per cent female and 22.22 per cent third gender, Ludhiana North’s 61.26 per cent comprised 63.09 per cent men, 59.2 per cent women and 18.52 per cent third gender, Gill’s 67.07 per cent included 68.4 per cent male, 65.58 per cent female and 33.33 per cent third gender, Payal’s 76.12 per cent comprised 77.3 per cent men, 74.79 per cent women and 33.33 per cent third gender, Dakha’s 75.63 per cent included 76.5 per cent male, 74.66 per cent female and no third gender, Raikot’s 72.33 per cent comprised 73.27 per cent men, 71.27 per cent women and no third gender and Jagraon’s 67.54 per cent polling included 68.22 per cent male, 66.76 per cent female and 75 per cent third gender voters.

Counting drill starts today

The drill of staff deputed for counting of votes on March 10 will begin from Wednesday, District Election Officer-cum-DC Varinder Kumar Sharma said. The first randomisation of counting staff will be held on Wednesday at 10 am, second on February 28 and final on March 10, when the deployment will be made. The first rehearsal of counting staff will be held on March 3, second on March 8 and final on March 9, he said.

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