Polling has concluded in 23 States and Union Territories in the ongoing General Election 2024. The fourth phase of polling witnessed a voter turnout of 69.16%, marking a 3.65 percentage point increase compared to the corresponding phase in 2019. Key political figures, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, continue their campaigns across the country.
The high voter turnout in several Lok Sabha constituencies in Telangana has left the three major political parties, the Congress, the BRS, and the BJP, baffled. Overall, 66.3% of voters exercised their franchise, with Bhongir reporting the highest polling percentage of 76.78% and Hyderabad the lowest at 48.48%. The high voter turnout is more than 3% higher than the 2019 Lok Sabha elections but lower than the December assembly elections. All parties are now assessing the pros and cons of the voting pattern, claiming that the high voter turnout is in their favor.
The fourth phase of the Lok Sabha elections on May 13 witnessed a voter turnout of 64.60% till 11 p.m. across 96 constituencies in 10 States and union territories. The voting process has now been completed in 23 States and union territories, covering 379 seats. The remaining three phases of the seven-phase general elections are scheduled to take place on May 20, May 25, and June 1, with the counting of votes set for June 4.
Bernstein, a global investment management firm, believes that investors should not overly worry about the impact of low voter turnout in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections on the overall election results. Historically, there has been no clear correlation between voting percentage and election outcomes. Unless there is a steep decline in voter turnout or significant anti-incumbency, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is likely to retain power in the upcoming elections.
Polling commenced smoothly across 1,847 booths in seven assembly constituencies of Vizianagaram district on May 13, 2024. A total of 15, 62,921 eligible voters are expected to cast their ballots by 6 pm, with arrangements made to accommodate those still in line at the closing time. Over 13,661 polling officials will oversee the elections, assisted by BEL engineers in case of any technical difficulties with EVMs. The district administration has implemented various measures to increase voter turnout, including awareness campaigns, provision of facilities for differently-abled persons, and the establishment of 11 model polling stations. Security arrangements are in place, with 2,272 web cameras monitoring sensitive locations and micro observers providing regular updates to higher officials. After the polls, EVMs will be securely stored at Lendi Engineering College and JNTU-GV University until the counting day on June 4.
The Congress party has strongly criticized the Election Commission (EC) of India’s response to concerns raised by party president Mallikarjun Kharge about voter turnout data. The EC had termed Kharge’s letter to opposition leaders an attempt to push a biased narrative, prompting Congress leader Jairam Ramesh to label the EC’s response as a permanent blot on its reputation.
Belagavi district witnessed an increase in voter turnout during the 2023 general elections compared to the previous elections. The concerted efforts by various agencies and the District SVEEP Committee played a significant role in this positive outcome. The Chikkodi Lok Sabha Constituency experienced a 3% increase, rising from 75.52% in 2019 to 78.51% this time. The Belgaum Lok Sabha Constituency also saw a 4% increase, from 67.70% to 71.49%. Additionally, the Khanapur and Kittur Assembly Constituencies, which are part of the Uttara Kannada Lok Sabha Constituency, recorded a turnout of 73.87% each. The average voting percentage in the district stood at around 75%.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has raised concerns over the sudden increase in the voter turnout figures for the first two phases of Lok Sabha elections. She has also expressed apprehensions about the credibility of EVMs. CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury and Congress General Secretary of Communication Jairam Ramesh have also raised similar concerns.
The Congress party is expected to finalize its candidates for the Amethi and Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh on April 27th. Meanwhile, the second phase of Lok Sabha elections saw a 61% voter turnout across 13 states. In a significant development, the Supreme Court has upheld the EVM system of polling, rejecting a plea to revive paper ballots.
The Outer Manipur Lok Sabha constituency witnessed a 33.22% voter turnout till 11 am on Friday during the second phase of Lok Sabha Elections 2024. Polling was underway at 857 polling stations across 13 assembly segments in eight districts. The Tengnoupal assembly segment recorded the highest turnout at 45.28%, while the Jiribam assembly segment had the lowest at 23.24%. A total of four candidates are contesting in the Outer Manipur constituency, including NPF’s K Timothy Zimik, Congress’s Alfred Kanngam Arthur, and Independents S Kho John and Alyson Abonmai. The BJP has extended support to its ally, NPF, and has not fielded a candidate. Over 4.84 lakh voters are eligible to cast their votes in this phase, and heightened security arrangements have been implemented to ensure a fair and peaceful election process.
