Women Outnumber Men as Voters in Northeast India

Aizawl- Women voters outnumber men in four northeastern states – Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya, and Arunachal Pradesh – according to the final electoral rolls released by the Election Commission of India on Monday. This trend bucks the national average, where men outnumber women voters.

The gender ratio in Manipur's electoral rolls stands at 1,070 women for every 1,000 men, significantly higher than the national average of 948. This follows a historical trend in the state where women have outnumbered male voters in recent years. The national gender ratio on the electoral rolls increased from 940 to 948 between 2023 and 2024.

Mizoram follows closely with a gender ratio of 1,066, while Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya recorded ratios of 1,037 and 1,028 respectively. These figures highlight a notable shift in gender demographics in these northeastern states.

Election officials attribute this trend to a higher voter turnout among women in these regions. In Manipur, for example, the Chief Electoral Officer, Pradeep Kumar Jha, stated that 10,61,979 women voters were registered compared to 9,92,140 male voters in the final electoral rolls. Manipur's final electoral rolls show a net increase of 19,727 voters, totaling 20,54,387, with 10,61,979 women, 9,92,140 men, and 268 third-gender voters.

This trend is also reflected in Mizoram, where 4,48,925 women voters outnumber the 4,20,888 men electors by 28,037 voters. Interestingly, Mamit is the only district in Mizoram where male voters outnumber women, by a margin of 576.

The press release also noted a slight improvement in women's electoral participation in the 2023 Assembly elections in Nagaland, Meghalaya, and Tripura compared to previous elections. Despite this progress, women are still sidelined in political and governance roles in these northeastern states, as highlighted by the press release.