During the past 50 years, female voter turnout in India has been increasing while that of male voters has remained unchanged - a trend that, according to observers, cannot be ignored now that India is holding its 16th general election.
“Women are getting a clear sense that voting is something they have a say in”, says an anthropologist from the School London of Economics. It is anticipated that there will continue to be a high female participation, and that this could have a big impact on the outcome of the nine-phase election that began on April 7 and ends on May 12, 2014.
A study of the Indian School of Business in Hyderabad revealed that a massive female vote can make political parties shudder. By analyzing two local elections held in 2005 in the eastern state of Bihar, the study found that an increase in female turnout negatively affected the probability of re-election of a political party, while a high share of male voters increased the chances that a party would stay in power.
“Appeals to women voters have always been more tokenist in nature," says a professor at the University of Pune's department of politics and public administration. “It's likely to stay that way for some time.” It may be so, but with women voting in increasing numbers, many think Indian politicians will have to start listening.
Source: bbc.com
