Seven women among 80 candidates in first phase of LS polls in Uttar Pradesh

Noida: Among the 80 candidates in the fray for the first phase of Lok Sabha polls in Uttar Pradesh, just seven or 8.75 per cent are women, according to official data.

The figure is lower than the first phase of the 2019 general elections when 12 of the 91 contenders or 13.18 per cent were women. However, none of those female candidates were victorious.

Of the 80 Lok Sabha constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, eight -- Saharanpur, Kairana, Muzaffarnagar, Bijnor, Nagina, Moradabad, Rampur and Pilibhit -- will go to polls in the first phase on April 19.

Kairana, Moradabad and Saharanpur have two female candidates each and Muzaffarnagar has one. Bijnor, Pilibhit, Rampur and Nagina do not have any female contenders, the Election Commission website showed.

In Kairana, the Samajwadi Party has fielded Iqra Choudhary while Priti Kashyap is representing the Rashtriya Mazdoor Ekta Party. Ruchi Vira is the Samajwadi Party nominee and Sadhna Singh is an Independent candidate in Moradabad.

In Saharanpur, Tasmeem Bano and Shabnam are fighting it out as Independents while Kavita, the lone woman candidate in Muzaffarnagar, is representing Rashtrawadi Janlok Party (Satya).

During the first phase of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh, when voting was held in these eight seats, Pilibhit, Kairana and Rampur had three female candidates each, Saharanpur had two and Nagina one. Bijnor, Moradabad and Muzaffarnagar didn't have any female candidates.

March 30 was the last date of nomination withdrawal for the first phase of the 2024 general elections. Uttar Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer Navdeep Rinwa said 155 candidates had filed nominations and during their scrutiny on March 28, nomination papers of 71 were rejected.

Four candidates -- two from Saharanpur and one each from Kairana and Moradabad -- withdrew their nomination.

"In the eight Lok Sabha constituencies of the first phase, 80 candidates are in the fray. There are 73 male candidates and seven female candidates. The list format 7A of all candidates has been prepared and election symbols have also been allotted to all candidates. Voting for the constituencies of the first phase will be held on April 19," Rinwa added.