As Haryana gears up for the single-phase assembly elections on October 5, 2024, significant developments have emerged in the political landscape. With political parties finalizing their candidates, several noteworthy trends stand out, including a drop in both women candidates and the number of political parties contesting compared to previous elections.
Drop in women candidates
A key highlight of the 2024 Haryana elections is the decline in the number of female candidates. In the 2014 elections, 116 women contested, which reduced slightly to 108 in 2019. This year, the number has dropped further to 101. Amid the decrease in participation, the success rate of women candidates has also been low historically. In 2014, out of 116 women candidates, 13 won. In 2019, only 9 of the 108 female candidates secured victory. Before 2014, the highest number of female winners was in 2005, when 11 women were elected.
Fewer political parties contesting
Another notable trend is the reduction in the number of political parties contesting the 2024 polls. While 70 parties were in the fray in 2019, only 60 parties are contesting this time around. However, this is still the second-highest number of parties participating in any Haryana assembly election since the state’s inception. The lowest participation was recorded in 1982, with only seven parties.
Fewer overall candidates
A similar decline has been witnessed in the overall number of candidates. For the 2024 elections, 1,031 candidates have filed nominations for the 90 assembly seats. This is a reduction compared to 1,169 candidates in 2019 and 1,351 in 2014. The highest number of candidates in Haryana's election history was in 1996, with 2,608 candidates. The lowest was in 1978, with just 671 candidates.
Increase in eligible women voters
In contrast to the drop in female candidates, the ratio of eligible women voters is at its highest since 1978. For every 1,000 male voters, there are 881 female voters in the 2024 elections, indicating greater female voter participation. In 1972, the ratio was slightly higher, with 892 women voters for every 1,000 men.
