Lok Sabha polls: Data shows why women voters wield more power than ever before

Women Voters

The turnout of women voters has been steadily increasing with every election. Women voters in India are now at  the forefront, with several political parties, including the BJP, Congress, Aam Aadmi Party and Trinamool Congress wooing them with monthly allowances, saving schemes, wage hikes among others.

A major shift in India's electoral landscape is anticipated by the end of this decade, according to report by SBI’s Economic Research Department (ERD). The report also states that women voters in India will surpass male voters from 2029 onwards.

The fineprint: the rundown of voter turnout over the years

In the 1951 elections, 8 crore people had cast their vote. In the 2009 elections, the number increased to 42 crore, of which 19 crore were women.

In 2014, the voter turnout increased by a whopping 13.7 crores to 55 crore of which 26 crore were women.

It was more than five and half times higher than average voter turnout between 1962 to 2009.

The same was almost six times for women and more than five times for men.

In 2019, the voter turnout further increased to 62 crore, of which 30 crore were women.

In 2024, the report projects a total voter turnout at the current rate of polling could touch 68 crore, of which women voters could be at 33 crore.

In 2029, the report projects a total voter turnout at the current rate of polling could touch 73 crore, of which women voters at 37 crore could be outstripping registered men voters at 36 crore.

Source:  SBI’s Economic Research Department

How AAP and Congress are going  all out to woo women voters

As part of its Budgetary outlays for 2024-2025, Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP government had announced Rs 1,000 per month for women above the age of 18 while Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu assured an annual financial assistance of Rs 15,000 to women, which was part f the ten guarantees promised by the Congress during the Assembly elections in late 2022.

BJP’s women-first strategy

BJP’s first and the most visible attempt to get more women voters within its fold is the passage of the Women's Reservation Bill. This is a significant move by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Centre ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. It was seen as a bid to woo women voters. But this might not be the BJP's only strategy. The party aims to conduct 11 massive outreach programme in 70 days which will be completed before March 15.

Additionally, the party is mapping out a strategy to make women's self-help groups aware of the schemes and programmes being run by the government. The BJP recently held the Shakti Vandan national workshop at the party extension office to formulate a strategy to reach out to NGOs and self-help groups.

Now, with the passing of women's reservation bill and resulting increase in their participation in electoral politics, BJP is scaling up its outreach to women voters.

With 78 seats, women make up 14.6% of the members of the 17th Lok Sabha, the highest number ever attained by women in the lower house of India’s Parliament, and the strongest progression rate of that number (+3 percentage points) since 1984.

Source: SBI’s Economic Research Department

How Trinamool Congress is banking on women voters

The Trinamool Congress in West Bengal on March 6 increased the remuneration of Asha and Anganwadi workers by Rs 750 per month amidst the Sandeshkhali incident. During the 2021 Assembly elections, Women and Child Development Minister Sashi Panja had said the TMC government in the last 10 years of its rule in West Bengal has implemented several schemes such as Kanyashree.

TMC government had launched women-centric initiative such as the Swasthya Sathi health scheme and Rupashree direct cash transfer scheme to prevent child marriage.

Women voters outstrip men  in Telangana

Female voters have surpassed male electors in Telangana, where Assembly elections were held in November 2023. Women in Telangana had been promised benefits worth up to Rs 4,000 if Congress was voted to power, by way of social pension, savings on LPG cylinders and free travel in government buses.

As per announcements made by the party, a deposit of Rs 2,500 every month will be made as social pension into women's bank accounts along with a free LPG cylinder, which now costs Rs 1,000 and another Rs 1,000 by way of free travel on government buses.