Ahead of the forthcoming Lok Sabha and state assembly elections in Odisha, the final voter list has expanded to over 3.32 crore individuals, with the inclusion of an additional 12.98 lakh people. This surge in voter registrations reflects the ongoing preparations for the upcoming electoral processes in the state.
During the announcement of the final voter list, Nikunja Bihari Dhal, the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Odisha, revealed that the overall number of voters has reached 3,32,36,360. This includes 1,68,50,949 male voters, 1,63,82,031 female voters, and 3,380 individuals who identify as transgender. Out of the total electors, 7.54 lakh (2.27%) are young voters, 4.57 lakh (1.38%) are persons with disabilities, and 6.85 lakh (2.06%) are senior citizens, the CEO said.
As of October last year, the state had a total of 3,26,55,213 voters, and this number has seen an increase with the addition of 12,97,954 new names to the voter list. Alongside the additions, 7,16,807 individuals were removed, and modifications were made to 4,22,638 names, according to the Chief Electoral Officer, Nikunja Bihari Dhal.
The final electoral rolls reveal a notable increase in the number of women voters in the state, rising from 1.60 crore as of October 27, 2023, to 1.63 crore. The gender ratio has also shown improvement, reaching 972 compared to 961 in 2023. Additionally, there has been an augmentation of 4,70,798 more young voters in the electoral rolls.