In a bid to encourage voter registration among women, the Election Commission has roped in about 50000 anganwadi workers and helpers in Haryana, a state known for its skewed sex ratio and rigid patriarchal order.
A total of about 1.73 crore voters (1,73,55,247) including 93.06 lakh males (93,06,532) and 80.48 lakh females (80,48,715) constitute the electoral roll across the state, which has a population of 2.53 crore (according to Census 2011).
While the State Government has been claiming improvement in gender ratio in Haryana, the gender ratio of enrolled voters stood at 864 (that is 864 female voters for every 1000 male voters) in Haryana. The state’s gender ratio in 2011 census stood at 879, implying a deficit of lakhs of women voters in the electoral list this time.
All 10 Lok Sabha constituencies and 90 Assembly constituencies have less number of women voters as compared to male voters in Haryana.
With indications that a large number of eligible women voters have been left out in the electoral roll published in January 2019, the office of chief electoral officer, Haryana has now entrusted the anganwadi workers and helpers with the task to reach out to the women voters to register themselves ahead of polling day on May 12 in Haryana.
About 50000 anganwadi workers and helpers are the basic functionaries of the integrated child development services (ICDS) programme and conduct regular home visits to communicate with mothers and their caregiver to improve health and nutrition outcomes in the state.
Apart from focusing on registration of eligible women voters, the office of Haryana CEO is also encouraging the eligible youth to attain their right to register and exercising their right to vote. Electoral Literacy Clubs have been made active at colleges and universities while the principals have been directed to ensure no student in their institution who is 18 years or above age is without a voter’s card.
“Anganwadi workers and helpers in Haryana will reach out to the eligible women voters to urge them to register themselves as well as check their name in the voter list ahead of polling day. The eligible voters can apply till April 12,” said Haryana Joint Chief Electoral Officer, Dr. Inder Jeet while talking to The Pioneer.
He said that the gender ratio of voters has improved but given the gap, we are making efforts to promote women participation in electoral process. Mobile vans have also been deployed in rural areas of Haryana to spread awareness about the voters’ registration and voting process, he said.
For youth voters, Dr. Inder Jeet said that the Election Commission has given a special facility this time. Those students who are living in hostels or as tenants and they do not have any proof of residence, they can get their vote made with the recommendation of the head of their institution. Principals of colleges have also been asked to ensure registration of eligible youth voters, he said.
Besides, the Election Commission has also asked all the political parties to appoint booth level agents who will work in coordination with block level officers of EC to encourage voters’ registration and exercising the right to vote, he said.
Dr Inder Jeet added that the special campaign to register eligible voters is ongoing and auxiliary polling station will be set up in case number of electors cross the allowed limit of 1,400 voters in urban areas and 1,200 in rural areas at a polling station.
At present, there are 19,425 polling stations in Haryana out of which 5,494 falls in urban and 13,931 in rural areas while there is no auxiliary polling station.
According to the Election Commission data, there are 1.40 lakh voters in the age group 18-19 in Haryana. The voters in the age bracket between 20-29 years are 36.13 lakh.
The highest number of voters in Haryana is in 30-39 years age group with 43.48 lakh, followed by 35.05 lakh in the 40-49 years age group, 27.68 lakh in 50.59 age group, 17.17 lakh in 60-69 age group, 8.27 lakh in 70-79 age group and 80 plus voters are around 4.37 lakh.
