Breaking the trend of the first three phases of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, the turnout for the fourth phase, in which 96 constituencies across 10 states and union territories went to polls on Monday, was the highest in 2019. It was estimated that the rate was higher than 68.93. % according to the Election Commission’s turnout app as of Tuesday 11:35 p.m.
The EC announced that the provisional turnout as of 11:45 pm on Monday was 67.25%. However, the final number of voters is expected to be announced by Friday. As of 11:35 p.m. Tuesday, the EC’s Voter Turnout app, which shows approximate trends in turnout in real time, showed turnout for the entire fourth phase was 68.93%, compared to the same in 2019. Voter turnout at the seat was 68.8%.
In the fourth phase, voter turnout increased in seats in J&K, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Telangana compared to 2019.
Significantly, the turnout in Srinagar, the only seat in Jammu and Kashmir where voting was held on Monday, was 38.49%, the highest since 1996.
The EC said in a statement at the end of Monday’s vote that the vote was held peacefully. “Although voting closed at 6pm, a large number of voters were still queuing at polling stations,” the EC said. Those who entered the polling place by 6 p.m. could still vote after that time.
In the fourth phase, West Bengal had the highest voter turnout at 80.22%, followed closely by Andhra Pradesh (79.66%). Although Jammu and Kashmir had the lowest voter turnout in the fourth phase, it increased by more than 24 percentage points compared to Srinagar’s turnout in 2019 (14.39%). The voter turnout in Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh seats was 58.21%, 66.01%, 72.05%, 62.21% and 75.58% respectively. They were 65.67% and 58.22%.
Voter turnout in the first three phases of the LS polls declined compared to the 2019 turnout in the same seats. However, the gap narrowed with each step, from 3.75 percentage points in the first to 2.93 percentage points in the second and 1.32 percentage points for him in the third.
With the completion of the fourth phase, 70% of the 543 Lok Sabha seats have been voted, covering 23 states and union territories.
© Indian Express Private Limited
Date first uploaded: May 15, 2024, 01:52 IST
