Phase 1, 2 turnout data is released by EC, and Oppn requests an explanation for the delay
The official total turnout numbers for the completed stages of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections were finally issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday, after an 11-day delay from the first round of voting.
The ECI reports that 66.14 percent of voters participated in the first phase, and 66.71 percent participated in the second phase, a little rise.
In the first phase, this turnout was recorded in 102 parliamentary seats (PCs); in the second phase, it was recorded in 88 PCs. By contrast, 69.43 percent of voters participated in the first round of the 2019 elections.
According to official figures, 66.22 percent of male voters, 66.07 percent of female voters, and 31.32 percent of third-gender voters cast ballots in the first round, for a total turnout of 66.14 percent. This phase’s voting took place on April 19. In the second phase, which took place on April 26, voter participation was 66.71 percent overall, with 66.99 percent of men, 66.42 percent of females, and 23.86 percent of voters who identified as third gender. In the first phase, Bihar had the lowest voter participation (49.26 percent), whereas in the second phase, Uttar Pradesh had the lowest turnout (55.19 percent).
The Election Commission (EC) noted that eleven states and union territories—Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Jammu and Kashmir, Lakshadweep, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal—recorded a higher turnout of female voters out of the twenty-one states and union territories that held first phase elections.
Six states and union territories—Assam, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Kerala, and West Bengal—recorded greater female voter participation in the second round of voting, which included 13 states and union territories. ECI officials provided an explanation for the wait for the official voter turnout figures, stating that it could only be made public after the postal ballots had been counted and tallied with the total number of votes cast using the EVM. A senior ECI official said, “This includes postal ballots given to service voters, absentee voters, individuals over 85, people with disabilities, people receiving essential services, and voters on election duty.”
In a post on X, Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh questioned the delay, saying, “The final voter turnout has not been published by the ECI for the first time, even 11 days after the first phase of the polls and four days after the second phase.” Previously, the ECI would provide the final voter turnout 24 hours or immediately after the polls.
“ECI has finally released the final voter turnout figures for the first 2 phases, which are substantially higher than the initial figures,” said Sitaram Yechury, head of the CPI(M). However, why aren’t the total voter counts for each parliamentary seat provided?
