Women voters outnumber men in Puducherry

Puducherry has a total voter strength of 9.73 lakh with women outmumbering men, according the electoral roll released ahead of the April 18 Lok Sabha election to the lone constituency in the union territory.

The number of women voters stood at 5.13 lakh while that of men 4.59 lakh and 96 voters come under the 'other' category, Chief Electoral Officer V Candavelou said in a release.

The union territory has four regions -- Puducherry, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam.

There are 18 contestants, including former speaker V Vaithilingam (Congress) and doctor-turned-politician K Narayanasamy (AINRC), for the poll.

Thattanchavady assembly segment is going for a byelection simultaneously with the Parliamentary poll.

The constituency has a total electorate of 29,763 and here too women voters outnumber their male counterparts. There are 15,697 women and 14,066 men.

The AINRC has fielded P Nedunchezian as its candidate while Congress ally DMK nominee is K Venkatesan in the byelection necessitated by disqualification of AINRC MLA Ashok Anand following his conviction by a CBI court in a wealth case.