CONTEXT

• Recent electoral roll analysis reveals unusually high Elector-to-Population Ratios (EPR) in many Karnataka districts.
• 24 out of 31 districts have EPRs above the state average of 70.16%, raising demographic concerns.
• Officials observed adult voter numbers disproportionately high compared to the total projected population.

CONCEPT

• EPR = (Number of registered voters ÷ Projected population) × 100
• A high EPR suggests fewer children/youth in the population — a demographic red flag.
• Replacement fertility rate: Number of children needed per woman to maintain population size (approx. 2.1).
• Falling fertility rates can lead to:
  • Ageing population
  • Shrinking future workforce
  • Long-term economic and social consequences
• Negative population growth: When deaths + migration exceed births, leading to population decline over time.
• NFHS data indicates skewed gender ratio in 0–5 and 18–19 age groups, worsening the demographic imbalance.

CURRENT

• Chikmagalur: Highest EPR at 84% – nearly 86 adults per 100 people.

• Kodagu (84.25%), Mandya (83.72%), Udupi (83.07%), and Hassan (82.82%) follow closely.
• Chamundeshwari (Mysuru) constituency reports extreme EPR at 97.74%.
• Bengaluru Urban shows lowest EPR (51.78–63.21), suggesting higher population of minors and migrants.
• Overall gender ratio among voters: 1,003 females per 1,000 males.
• Among 18–19 age group, gender ratio falls to 892 females per 1,000 males, pointing to past sex-selective practices or enrolment gaps.

• United Nations (2024): India’s fertility rate has dropped below replacement level – a national trend.
• Implications:
  • Immediate need for demographic audits and policy realignment
  • Long-term planning in education, health, jobs, and elderly care
  • Strategies to correct gender disparities and support balanced population growth