‘66.95% voter turnout in 1st four phases of Lok Sabha elections’

New Delhi: The Election Commission announced on Thursday that the combined voter turnout for the first four phases of the Lok Sabha elections stands at 66.95 per cent. This figure translates to 45.10 crore voters out of the nearly 97 crore eligible voters participating in the ongoing polls.

The poll panel has issued a statement encouraging the electorate to participate in large numbers in the upcoming phases.

The commission reported that the voter turnout for the fourth phase of polling, which took place on May 13, was 69.16 per cent. This figure is 3.65 percentage points higher than the turnout for the same phase during the 2019 parliamentary elections.

For the third phase of the Lok Sabha election, the updated voter turnout was 65.68 per cent. In comparison, the turnout for the third phase of the 2019 general election was 68.4 per cent.

The second phase of the election, held on April 26, saw a turnout of 66.71 per cent. This is slightly lower than the 69.64 per cent turnout recorded during the second phase of the 2019 polls.

In the first phase of the current general elections, the turnout was 66.14 per cent. The corresponding figure for the first phase of the 2019 polls was 69.43 per cent.

The Election Commission has emphasised its commitment to informing, motivating, and facilitating voters in the remaining three phases of the parliamentary elections. State chief electoral officers have been instructed to intensify their efforts.

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar expressed his appreciation for the various institutions, influencers, and celebrities who have responded to the Commission’s request and are working pro-bono to raise voter awareness. He stressed that partnership and collaboration are crucial to the success of the voter awareness programme.

So far, 379 seats across 23 states and Union Territories have participated in the first four phases of the elections.

Kumar believes that a high voter turnout sends a strong message to the world about the robustness of Indian democracy. He called on voters to exercise their franchise in large numbers, reminding them that election day is not a holiday but a day of pride and an opportunity to participate in the democratic process.

The poll panel also highlighted the outreach initiatives undertaken by various private and public organisations to boost voter participation in the elections. Banks, post offices, private companies, and telecom platforms are leveraging their public interfaces to encourage registered voters to vote on the designated days.