Young voters surge in Jharkhand as EC data shows increase in youth, disabled voters

Shankar Agrawal

Jamshedpur, Nov 12: Jharkhand has seen a significant surge in young voters, with Election Commission of India (ECI) data revealing a marked increase in the number of voters aged 18-19 and in disabled voters over the past five years. The recent figures indicate both changes in demographic participation and a shifting voter profile ahead of the upcoming assembly elections.

The ECI reports that the number of voters aged 18-19 has risen substantially, doubling over the past five years. In the Assembly Elections of 2019, Jharkhand had 5,49,619 voters in this age bracket. This number jumped to 9,29,071 during the May 2024 Lok Sabha elections and has now reached an impressive 11,84,150 as of October 15, 2024. This surge reflects an increase of 2.55 lakh in just six months, underscoring a growing political engagement among young citizens in the state.

An election official highlighted the positive trend, saying, “This substantial increase in young voters signifies the enthusiasm of the youth to participate in the democratic process. The youth of Jharkhand are more engaged, and we hope to see a significant impact in the upcoming assembly elections.”

Gender-specific trends in voter growth

The data also shows a unique pattern in the increase of male and female voters. While female voters have increased by 2.12 lakh since the Lok Sabha elections, the number of male voters has seen a slight decline, with 1,416 fewer men registered. In the state’s upcoming assembly elections, the total number of female voters has risen by an impressive 18,24,551 since the last assembly elections, reflecting a broader trend of increasing female participation.

Increase in disabled voters

The number of disabled voters in Jharkhand has also risen, showing a rise of 77,244 compared to the last assembly elections in 2019. In May 2024, the Lok Sabha elections recorded 3,66,204 disabled voters, which has now increased to 3,67,625.

“This increase in disabled voters demonstrates our commitment to inclusivity in the electoral process,” said another Election Commission official. “We have made efforts to ensure that people with disabilities have access to voting facilities, and this increase reflects the effectiveness of those measures.”

Decline in service voters and elderly participation

While young and disabled voters have seen an upward trend, the number of service voters, representing personnel stationed away from home, has decreased from 4,531 in the last Lok Sabha elections to 4,395 in the current assembly elections. Additionally, the number of voters over 85 years of age has declined. In May 2024, there were 1,38,621 voters over 85, while the number dropped to 1,13,970 in October, a reduction of 24,651.

The ECI attributes this decrease in elderly voters partly to natural aging processes. “We respect the contributions of our elderly voters and acknowledge that some may be unable to participate due to health or other factors,” stated an official.

Overall, Jharkhand’s voter count has grown, with 1.28 crore voters currently registered, compared to 1.26 crore in the previous assembly elections.