Women To Decide Electoral Fate In Six Constituencies
Y.S. Rana
The writer is a Hamirpur based Himachali settled in Chandigarh
Electioneering in Himachal Pradesh is heading to a feverish pitch despite cold conditions notwithstanding. Though both the major political parties of the state, BJP and Congress, have failed to give the proposed 33% representation to fair sex in ticket allocation for ensuing state assembly polls, yet the electoral fate in around 10 assembly constituencies rest in the grip of women electorate of the hill state. While the BJP has given ticket only to six women candidates, the ruling Congress has given tickets to only three women. Though a number of women candidates have filed their nominations as independents but independent candidates fate has not been good in the past. The state is still far away in achieving the desired 33% representation of fair sex in the state assembly. Hamirpur is the only district where in all assembly segments woman power is in dominant stage.
According to State Election Department, as many as six constituencies in the state have woman power to the fore. Of these, district Hamirpur has four constituencies while one each in district Shimla and Lahaul-Spiti. The district Hamirpur has five assembly segments. Of these four constituencies —Nadaun, Badsar, Sujanpur and Bhoranj have more female voters against male voters. Nadaun of district Hamirpur has the highest number of female voters. In Nadaun, there are 42,869 female voters compared to 42,180 male voters. In Badsar where Baldev Sharma (BJP) is pitted against I.D Lakhanpal (Congress) has 40,612 women voters against 38,809 men voters.
But among the four constituencies where woman power is in dominant position, big difference between female-male voters is recorded in Sujanpur assembly constituency. Notably, from where Prem Kumar Dhumal (BJP) and Rajinder Rana (Congress) testing their muscles. The women voters here have outnumbered male voters by a difference of 2247. Sujanpur has 34,557 female and 32,310 male voters. Whereas Hamirpur assembly segment has 34,289 female voters and 33,935 male voters. In five assembly segments of Hamirpur district, the total number of female voters is 1,90,616 against 1,83,055 male voters. Besides five assembly constituencies of Hamirpur, Shimla and Lahaul-Spiti district also have a constituency each where female voters will have the key to decide the fate of candidates in the fray for state assembly. In Jubbal & Kotkhai constituency in Shimla district, the number of female voters is 33,296 against 33,256 male voters and Lahaul-Spiti segment also has less number of male voters with 11447 female voters against 11402 male voters. While there are six women dominated constituencies in the state. Only the Bhoranj seat is such, where Kamlesh Kumari of BJP would be in direct contest with Pramila Kumari of Congress. Keeping in consideration the high number of women voters in the state, the Election Commission of India, has arranged for 136 all women polling stations in the state, where the entire polling process would be managed by the women election staff and only women voters will be casting their votes in such polling stations.
Political experts in district Hamirpur told that provision of 33% reservation for the fair sex in panchayats would bring more and more woman voters to booths. It is also largely responsible for the change in the attitude of women in political activities as in the recent past elections woman power was seen to the fore.
Women Dominated Constituencies
Constituency District Female Voters Male Voters
Nadaun Hamirpur 42,869 42,180
Badsar Hamirpur 40,612 38,809
Sujanpur Hamirpur 34,557 32,310
Hamirpur Hamirpur 34,289 33,935
Jubbal & Kotkhai Shimla 33,296 33,256
Lahaul Spiti Lahaul Spiti 11,447 11,402
About 24.5 Lakh Female Voters
In the final list of voters in Himachal Pradesh, Election Commission has confirmed that the hill state has a total of 49,88,367 voters. The number of male voters is 25,32,316 against 24,57,022 female voters and 29 third gender voters.
Himachal-o-Meter
The state’s ups and downs this week
Staff Nurses Deployed In Cancer Care Units
Bilaspur: Twenty staff nurses after their special training will join the cancer care units opened in health institutes of Himachal. The nurses have been given special training in chemotherapy and cancer related diseases. Now two nurses each have started providing services in cancer care units functioning in the state. Notably, the state government had opened cancer care units in five districts in Himachal Pradesh in 2016. 12 Oncologists working in state government run hospitals were provided training in Mumbai to run these cancer care units properly. Now specially trained staff nurses will further strengthen these cancer care units. 28 cancer patients have been provided chemotherapy facility in Bilaspur cancer care unit alone after the deployment of these specially trained nurses. Earlier cancer patients had to move to Chandigarh or Shimla for the same purpose.
Entire Village in Mandi District Gutted
Mandi: A devastating fire that broke out at Dahar village of Balichowki tehsil in Mandi district engulfed the entire village. As many as 36 houses of were gutted in the fire leaving people homeless in cold winter. According to information, fire broke erupted from dry grass, which spread rapidly from one house to the other because as majority them were made of wood. This village in Balichowki tehsil has people of dalit community in majority. Locals helped in relief and rescue work and also informed local administration of the mishap. People present on the occasion somehow managed to save cattle but everything else was gutted in fire within hours. The loss of property is stated to be worth in crores. However there was no loss of life. Mandi Deputy Commissioner Madan Chauhan said that adequate assistance will be provided to fire affected villagers to rehabilitate them.
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