Kohima, Jan 11 (NationPress) Nagaland has emerged as the fifth northeastern state, joining Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya, and Arunachal Pradesh, where the number of women voters surpasses that of men in the electoral rolls, with a gender ratio significantly above the national average, as reported by officials on Saturday.
A senior election official highlighted that the final electoral rolls revealed 672,395 women general voters compared to 665,489 male voters in Nagaland, following a special summary revision published on Friday, which considered January 1, 2025, as the qualifying date.
With the addition of 7,310 service voters (comprising 7,196 males and 114 females), the overall voter count in this northeastern state rose to 1,345,197, inclusive of three third-gender voters.
In contrast to the national gender ratio of 948, Nagaland's electoral rolls reflect a gender ratio of 1,010, according to the official.
When compared to the draft electoral rolls released on October 29 of the previous year, there was an addition of 13,642 voters, marking a 1.02 percent increase in the final rolls.
Women voters also outnumber their male counterparts in the electoral rolls of Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya, and Arunachal Pradesh.
The gender ratios in these states are 1,070 for Manipur, 1,066 for Mizoram, 1,037 for Arunachal Pradesh, and 1,028 for Meghalaya.
In the predominantly Christian state of Nagaland, men have traditionally held sway over various societal aspects, including governance. However, during the recent Assembly elections on February 27, 2023, a historic moment occurred as two women -- Salhoutuonuo Kruse (Western Angami) and Hekani Jakhalu (Dimapur-III) -- were elected to the 60-member Assembly for the first time.
Both successful candidates are affiliated with the ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), which plays a significant role in the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) government that operates without opposition in the Assembly. The Bharatiya Janata Party contributes 12 members to the UDA government, led by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio.
