Only 7.8% women candidates in State electoral battle
GUWAHATI: Only 7.8 per cent women candidates are among the total 946 contestants in fray for the 126-member Assam Assembly elections, leading to discontent among female activists and writers. According to the State s Chief Electoral Officer Nitin Khade, of the total 946 candidates, 74 are women while, out of the overall 2,33,74,087 voters, 1,15,50,403 are females.
He said out of the 33,530 polling stations set up for the three phases (March 27, April 1, April 6) of the polls across the state, 1,351 are all women managed. The third and the final phase of polling will be held in 40 seats on April 6.
Despite the women being 49.41 per cent of the total numbers of voters, only 74 female (7.8 per cent) candidates, including 23 Independent, are in the fray.