Polling in 5 crucial states from November 7-30, results on December 3: EC

All five states have seen an improvement in their electoral gender ratio, according to the Election Commission’s data, with Chhattisgarh not only closing the gender gap but having more women voters than men for the first time.

While Chhattisgarh has 1,012 women voters for every 1,000 men, there are 1,063 women electors in Mizoram for every 1,000 men. In the previous elections held in 2018, Chhattisgarh had 995 women voters against 1,000 men, and Mizoram had 1,051 women. Mizoram has always had more women voters than men.

While the other states have also shown an improvement over 2018 in their electoral gender ratio, parity is yet to be achieved. Madhya Pradesh, which has the largest Assembly among the five states, has 945 women voters for every 1,000 men as opposed to 917 women in 2018. Rajasthan has 920 women voters against 914 in the previous elections. Telangana has 998 women voters against 982 last time.

Kumar said that the “inclusive election” campaign was the primary aim of the poll panel, with the focus on improving the electoral roll gender ratio in all states. Consequently, 23.6 lakh new women electors have been added in these five states.

Besides, the poll panel also focused on first-time voters in the 18-19 age group, enrolling 60 lakh such voters. This was largely because first-time voters had three additional windows to register themselves. In the past, they could only enroll once a year – in January. Through a recent amendment in the rules, three new such dates were added.

These five state elections are crucial for both the BJP and the Congress, as both parties are desperately seeking wins to build momentum ahead of the general elections. The five states together send 83 members to the Lok Sabha.

Given that regional parties hold little sway in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, the elections will be a direct fight between the Congress and the BJP, putting their respective platforms to test.

Of the five states, the Congress is in power in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, BJP in Madhya Pradesh, Bharat Rashtra Samithi in Telangana and Mizo National Front in Mizoram.

The BJP is relying on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity, the Centre’s welfare schemes, and the party’s organisational strength in these states. On the other hand, the Congress is hoping that its backward caste gambit and “anger” against the central government will help it defeat the BJP. Both parties are also banking on anti-incumbency sentiments against the rival state governments.

While Mizoram and Chhattisgarh will be the first to go to polls on November 7. Voting for all 40 seats in Mizoram will be held on the day, along with Chhattisgarh’s first phase of polling for 20 seats. Polling to the remaining 70 seats in Chhattisgarh will be held on November 17, alongside all 230 seats in Madhya Pradesh. While Rajasthan votes on November 23 for all its 200 seats in one go, voting for the 119-member Telangana Assembly will be held on November 30.

On Monday, CEC Rajiv Kumar also appeared to have revived the debate on “revdi culture” or freebies. Taking questions from reporters after the press conference, he remarked that the freebies announced by political parties and state governments have a “tadka of populism” and that it is difficult for those who win polls to either implement these sops or stop this practice. He said the parties and states do not remember such sops in five years but announce them just a month or a fortnight before the election dates are announced.

“These announcements have a ‘tadka’ of populism. It is difficult to either implement or stop such (sops). Therefore, people have a right to know how these freebies will be implemented,” he said.

However, he added the matter is sub-judice and the Election Commission will act as soon as clarity is available.

Last year, the Supreme Court had referred petitions seeking ban on freebies distributed by political parties before elections to a three-judge bench, which it said will look into prayers for reconsidering the top court’s 2013 judgment in the S Subramaniam Balaji vs State of Tamil Nadu case. The 2013 verdict had held that such promises of freebies cannot be termed corrupt practice.

Last year, the EC had proposed a proforma for parties and states to explain how and when the promises made by them in their poll manifesto will be implemented. It states that while parties are free to tell what they will do, the voters have a right to know how it will be implemented and how much and when it will be done.

Asked separately about holding elections in Jammu and Kashmir, Kumar said polls will be held when the commission deems it the “right time” keeping in mind the security situation and other polls being conducted in the Union Territory.