Even more striking is the 71.6% turnout among women - nearly nine percentage points higher than men and arguably unmatched in 75 years of Indian elections. Women in Bihar have been steadily outvoting men for over a decade, aided by welfare schemes targeted at them, including recent cash transfers. The 1.3 crore Jeevika didis, organised through self-help groups, now form a powerful economic and political force. The results, at first glance, reflect a clear gender imprint.