Survey: Caste, religion, money still influence voting behaviour
Bhanu P Lohumi
Tribune News Service
Shimla, January 11
Factors like caste, religion, community, money, policy, ideology and affiliation to political parties still influence the voting behaviour in elections to panchayati raj institutions (PRIs).
An online survey conducted by the Rural Development faculty, Department of Interdisciplinary Studies, Himachal Pradesh University (HPU), from January 5 to 9 on “Voting Behaviour in PRI elections in Himachal” revealed that people had high expectations from the elected representatives and they felt that they forgot the promises made to people after elections.
The survey, conducted ahead of the PRI elections slated for January 17, 19 and 21, covered 327 gram panchayats of 67 blocks in 12 districts and included 514 respondents. The respondents covered the whole state and the highest share of 34 per cent was from Shimla district followed by Solan, Chamba, Sirmaur and Mandi.
As many as 65.8 per cent respondents were in the age group of 18-25 years followed by 17.5 per cent in 26-35 years, 10.5 per cent in 36-45 bracket, 4.5 per cent in 46-55 years’ age group while 1.8 per cent were above 56 years.
Further, 73.2 per cent were from the general category, 15.6 per cent from the Scheduled Caste and 8.4 per cent from the Scheduled Tribe and 2.9 per cent OBC and the ratio of men and women was 73.2 per cent and 26.8 per cent.
A majority of respondents (51.9 per cent) were graduate, 26.1 per cent postgraduate and above and 20 per cent secondary level. Only 0.2 per cent respondents had no formal education. It included 59.7 per cent student,11.7 per cent government employees, 7.8 per cent unemployed youth, 5.7 per cent agriculturists and 5.4 per cent businessmen.
About 67.7 per cent voters had the opinion that though the PRI elections were apolitical, still political parties take part in the elections while 79.8 per cent voters said they voted for the party, said project officer and principal investigator Dr Baldev Singh Negi and investigator Dr Devender Kumar Sharma (Assistant Professor).
Contrary to the general trend with people casting votes on caste and clan considerations, 56.4 per cent respondents said they would not vote on the basis of caste and community while 64.8 believed that the young voters voted independently without the advice of their parents.
As many as 71.8 people said people contested elections or were interested to be representatives just to earn money but 65.8 per cent believed that money use was increasing in the PRI elections. However, 85.5 per cent submitted that the candidates should not use money power while 27.6 revealed that supporters generally bore the expenditure of the candidates.
