For the first time, women voters are expected to play a key role in the Legislative Council graduates’ constituency election to be held on Thursday in Srikakulam district which is part of the North Andhra constituency.
Women’s role was almost negligible in the elections held in 2011 and 2007. The enrollment was confined to below 2,500 but it has gone up significantly this time. As many as 31,381 voters registered their names to vote in the graduates’ constituency election. Out of them, 8,103 are women and four come under transgender category. Many women teachers and employees enrolled their names with enthusiasm though it was a tedious process.
According to officials, the voters’ list remained almost the same except a few additions and deletions for many decades. Women voters used to show little interest in previous elections. However, this time, the new voters’ list was prepared between October and December, 2016 for graduate election.
With the constant campaign by candidates, women came forward to enrol their names for this election. “We used to have less number of women graduates till a decade ago. With the increasing awareness about girls’ education, many women could become graduates in the last few years. It helped a lot for the improvement in their enrolment. It is a positive sign. They can play a decisive role in the current graduate election,” said Kinjarapu Shalini, head of the Kinjarapu Jeevan Seva Foundation.
“I am really excited to participate in the electoral process as I got the opportunity for the first time. I hope women candidates would also contest in the next elections changing the decades old practice of only men contesting the graduate constituency polls,” said P. Sridevi, a resident of PN Colony.
Arrangements made
Meanwhile, the Srikakulam district administration made elaborate arrangements for the election. As many as 54 polling booths were established. The election process will be monitored through web-casting to prevent malpractices.
Srikakulam Collector P. Lakshmi Narasimham and Superintendent of Police J. Brahma Reddy said non-local leaders and representatives of various parties and organisations hd been asked not to come to Srikakulam to ensure peaceful polling on Thursday.
“We directed all the candidates to adhere to the guidelines of the Election Commission. Otherwise, notices will be served,” they added.
