Women voters power Assam to record 85.91% turnout, outshine men

Guwahati, April 10: Women voters led from the front in Assam’s Assembly elections, driving the state to a record-breaking turnout and outshining male participation, according to Election Commission of India (ECI) data released on Friday.

Assam registered an overall voter turnout of 85.91%, the highest in its electoral history, edging past Kerala’s long-standing record of 85.77% set in 1960. Election officials attributed the surge largely to the enthusiastic participation of women voters across constituencies.

Women in Assam recorded a turnout of 86.50%, setting a new benchmark and surpassing the previous high of 84.67% in the 2016 Assembly elections. Notably, women voters also outnumbered men in participation, underlining a significant shift in electoral engagement in the state.

Male voter turnout in Assam stood at 85.33%, also a state record, improving on the earlier best of 84.33% recorded in 2016.

Despite the strong showing by male voters, it was the higher turnout among women that proved decisive in pushing the overall polling percentage to a historic high.

The trend of women outpacing men was mirrored in Kerala and Puducherry as well. However, Assam stood out for breaking overall turnout records, highlighting the scale of voter mobilisation in the state.

ECI officials noted that the combined turnout in Assam’s Assembly polls significantly exceeded participation levels seen in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, when the state recorded a total voter turnout of 81.87%.

The jump to 85.91% in the current polls marks a notable increase, signalling heightened political engagement.

The data underscores a broader pattern of rising female participation in elections, with Assam emerging as a key example of how women voters are shaping electoral outcomes and setting new benchmarks in democratic participation.

IANS