Women voters to call the shots in GVMC polls

Visakhapatnam: As women voters outnumber men in eight of the corporation’s 10 zones and 91 of its 120 wards, their voting preferences count and influence the fortunes of candidates and political parties in local body polls.

Women voters are set to play a decisive role in determining the outcome of Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) elections, with women accounting for more than half of the total electorate in most parts of the city.

According to voter statistics, GVMC has a total of 18,37,901 voters, including 9,30,916 women and 9,06,866 men, while 119 belong to third gender.

Women outnumber men by approximately 24,000, highlighting their growing electoral significance in the city. A zone-wise analysis revealed that a majority of women voters are in Bheemunipatnam, Madhurawada, East, South, North, West constituencies, and Anakapalli zones. Pendurthi and Aganampudi are the only two zones where male voters marginally outnumber women voters.

In Bheemili zone, out of 66,446 voters, there are 34,186 women and 32,257 men, the rest belong to third gender. Madhurawada has 1,49,452 voters, including 75,989 women, 73,451 men and 12 voters from other category.

East zone, considered one of the corporation’s major electoral areas, has 2,96,124 voters, comprising 1,50,823 women, 1,45,280 men and 21 voters belonging to other category. Similarly, South zone has 2,17,817 voters, including 1,10,917 women, 1,06,867 men and the rest belong to other category.

In North zone, women account for 1,48,026 of the 2,91,691 voters, compared with 1,43,642 men and there are 23 others. West zone has 2,22,029 voters, consisting of 1,12,770 women, 1,09,248 men and 11 others.

The trend is different in Aganampudi, where male voters outnumber 35,110 against 34,685 women voters. In Anakapalli, women outnumber men, with 39,869 female voters compared with 37,079 male voters. Pendurthi has 74,770 men and 74,595 women, giving men a narrow lead.

Ward-wise figures further underline the importance of women in the electoral battle. Of the 120 wards, women voters outnumber men in 91 wards, while men are in the majority in the rest.

This numerical advantage places women voters at the centre of GVMC electoral contest. Political parties and candidates will need to pay close attention to women’s concerns, expectations and local civic issues as they seek public support from them. Issues such as drinking water, sanitation, public transport, road safety, street lighting, healthcare and neighbourhood infrastructure could influence voting decisions.

Apparently, actual turnout, voter preferences, local issues and the effectiveness of election campaigns will also shape the final outcome.

The electoral statistics indicate a clear message: women voters are a powerful force in Visakhapatnam. Their participation and collective voting preferences prove crucial in deciding who takes control of the city’s civic administration.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rani Devalla

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Rani Devalla is an experienced journalist specialised in a range of beats. From crime to politics, health to human interest, education to defence along with entertainment and feature stories, Rani Devalla, an accomplished writer with a passion for exploring diverse genres, has been reporting for the past 14 years. Serving as Bureau Chief of The Hans India in Visakhapatnam, Rani Devalla contributes to the organisation's editorial department through daily reporting, special stories and feature stories. After completing B.Com, Rani Devalla pursued Masters in Human Resource Management. Prior to joining The Hans India, Rani Devalla worked as a Principal Correspondent with The Hindu Group for six-and-a-half years. With rich expertise, she brings diverse perspectives to her reporting that makes her narratives stand out. When not immersed in writing, the journalist spends time reading, travelling and journaling.

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