Ludhiana: Lok Sabha polls; by the women, but not for them

Throughout the 25-year period, only one female candidate has been fielded by a major political party — Jita Kaur from the Communist Party of India (ML) (Liberation) in the 1998 elections; she only mustered 1,606 votes; except for her, all other women had contested as independents

Women’s participation in exercising their right to franchise has increased over the years despite major political parties fielding virtually no women candidates for the Lok Sabha segment in the last 25 years. The turnout went up from a lowly 48.16% in 1998 to 60.71% in 2019, while women have twice in the last five elections outperformed their male counterparts.

Ludhiana constituency, which has 46.64% registered female electors, has only sent one female to the Lok Sabha. (HT File Photo)

In 1998, 48.16% women cast their votes against 58.09% men. Meanwhile, in the general elections of 1999 and 2004, the female turnout was higher than men. In 1999, 48.76% of total registered women voters showed up at polling booths, higher than the 44.32% men. In 2004, the women’s turnout was 64.4% against 57.44% men.

The voting numbers shot up in 2014, with 71.91% men and 70.26% women exercising their right to franchise. In 2019, the figure dipped for both demographics, with the total voter turnout being 60.71% for women and 64.57% for women.

Throughout the 25-year period, only one female candidate has been fielded by a major political party — Jita Kaur from the Communist Party of India (ML) (Liberation) in the 1998 elections. She only mustered 1,606 votes. Except for her, all other women had contested as independents.

So far, the constituency, which has 46.64% registered female electors, has only sent one female to the Lok Sabha.

Rajinder Kaur Bulara had won the seat in 1989 on a Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) ticket.

For the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party has fielded sitting MP Ravneet Singh Bittu, who recently switched sides from the Congress. No other major party has yet announced their candidate from the seat.

District election officer Sakshi Sawhney, when asked about the measure being undertaken by the administration to encourage women to cast their vote, said, “We have especially covered all-women colleges and also in our labour chaupals we are focusing on women voters.”

She expressed hope of the turnout going over 70% this time around.