India achieves high level of women’s involvement in elections

India has 460 million women voters, almost equal to the number of men voters, and in the last Lok Sabha elections, more women than men exercised their franchise, pointing to a high level of women’s involvement in elections.

“This is the level of inclusion India has been able to achieve,” Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said on Thursday (March 9) in Bengaluru, referring to the 2019 parliamentary battle.

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Rajiv Kumar flagged “flawed” reports of some agencies and organizations, saying they cause more damage to the credibility of election management bodies as the pioneering work done by them finds no place in such surveys.

He called for essential parameters and standards which should guide such surveys and rankings.

Inclusive elections

The head of India’s poll panel was addressing the 3rd International Conference on “Inclusive Elections and Elections’ Integrity” in a virtual format.

He and his election commissioners were in Bengaluru to assess the readiness for the upcoming assembly elections in Karnataka.

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Election Commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey said the Election Commission of India has been working for inclusive elections under the premise of ‘No Voter to be Left Behind’.

Election Commissioner Arun Goel said inclusive elections were critical to the integrity of elections.

(With agency inputs)