Maharashtra sees surge in voter registrations ahead of polls, 2.4m new names added

Notably, women voters outnumbered men by more than one and a half times in this recent addition, improving the sex ratio of voters from 925 to 933

Mumbai: Maharashtra has witnessed a significant increase in its voter base since the Lok Sabha elections held in April-May this year, with 2.4 million new voters added to the electoral rolls.

A special drive undertaken by the Election Commission of India (ECI) in August resulted in the addition of 1.69 million voters in just two weeks. (HT File)

A special drive undertaken by the Election Commission of India (ECI) in August resulted in the addition of 1.69 million voters in just two weeks, bringing the total number of registered voters in the state to 95.4 million. Notably, women voters outnumbered men by more than one and a half times in this recent addition, improving the sex ratio of voters from 925 to 933.

The final electoral roll, following the summary revision by the ECI, was announced on Friday. During the special drive from 6 to 20 August, the commission received over 2.08 million applications for voter addition and 370,000 applications for name deletion due to death or duplication.

"The improvement in the sex ratio can be attributed to the efforts of self-help groups, Anganwadi workers, and housing societies," an ECI spokesperson said.

Prior to the special drive, the ECI had added 940,000 voters since the conclusion of the Lok Sabha election, bringing the total to 93.68 million. The recent additions have further increased this number to 95.4 million, up from 92.94 million at the end of the Lok Sabha election.

Pune district now leads with 8.6 million voters, followed by Mumbai suburban (7.58 million) and Thane (7 million). Conversely, Gadchiroli, Hingoli, and Bhandara have the lowest counts with 810,000, 970,000, and 1 million voters respectively. Interestingly, five of the state's backward districts have more women voters than men, a phenomenon attributed to high male migration to urban areas.

The special drive saw a significant increase in young voters, with 370,000 new registrations in the 18-19 age group and 760,000 in the 20-29 age group. Young voters between 18 and 29 now constitute 21.02% of the total electorate.

An official from the Chief Electoral Officer's office noted that the overwhelming response to the revision drive might be due to recent political developments. "The split in two major parties over the past two and a half years and the possibility of large-scale defections ahead of the Assembly polls have likely contributed to increased enrolment," the official explained.

The ECI has clarified that additions and deletions from the electoral rolls will remain open until ten days prior to the filing of nominations for the Assembly polls.

As Maharashtra prepares for its upcoming elections, citizens can enrol themselves as voters by visiting www.ceo.maharashtra.gov.in or www.voters.eci.gov.in.