Marathwada Graduates' Poll Reveals Stark Gender Imbalance in Voter Base
The draft voter list for the upcoming graduates' constituency poll in Marathwada division has exposed a concerning gender disparity. Recent data shows that female voters make up only 23% of the total electorate, while male voters account for nearly 77%.
Activists Voice Alarm Over Skewed Voter Ratio
Women's rights activist Bharati Biswas-Bhandekar expressed deep concern about the low percentage of female voters. She emphasized that this figure falls far below levels seen in other elections. The poor percentage of female voters calls for introspection and official interventions, she stated firmly. We must address this issue urgently.
ABVP activist Vaishnavi Dhivare highlighted the practical consequences of this imbalance. Poor representation of female voters directly translates to no voice for issues affecting graduate women, she explained. Dhivare called for comprehensive reforms in the voter enrolment process. The system should become more voter-centric, she insisted. Authorities must ensure they reach out to every single graduate woman.
Election Department Responds to Registration Concerns
Election department officials acknowledged the gender gap but noted that more voters could still enroll before the December deadline. A senior official explained the enrolment process for graduates' constituency polls. Fresh enrolment occurs every year, he said. Voters must submit necessary forms themselves, though political party drives sometimes assist them.
The official suggested that lack of awareness might be a key factor behind lower female voter registration. He pointed out that the draft list, prepared with November 1, 2025 as the qualifying date, initially contained 240,549 registered voters in the division. After scrutinizing applications for new additions, authorities included 48,234 new names.
Detailed Voter Breakdown Shows Clear Disparity
The final draft voter list for the Marathwada graduates' constituency poll now contains 288,783 voters. This total breaks down into:
- 221,161 male voters
- 67,609 female voters
- 13 voters in other categories
This composition means women represent just about one in every four voters. The skewed gender ratio has drawn sharp reactions from various activist groups across the region. They argue that such imbalance undermines democratic representation and fails to reflect the actual graduate population.
As the December enrolment deadline approaches, all eyes remain on whether authorities can implement effective measures to bridge this significant gender gap in the electorate.
