Voting turnout set for new record

The voter turnout for the ongoing elections for the 16th Lok Sabha could be the best ever, if the polling trend witnessed during the seven phases of polling continues for the remaining two phases.

According to data provided by the Election Commission, the aggregate voter turnout for the 438 constituencies which went to the polls so far is 66.9 per cent. The record turnout so far has been the 64.01 per cent witnessed in the 1984 Lok Sabha elections. 

The turnout in the 438 constituencies, according to the commission, is way above the polling recorded in the last general elections in 2009 in these 438 constituencies. As against 66.9 per cent this time, the polling in these 438 constituencies was 57.61 per cent in 2009, higher this time by 9.21 percentage points.

Of the country’s total electorate of 81.45 crore this time, already 44.2 crore voters have exercised their franchise, which accounts for 54.27 per cent of the total electorate. In 2009, 33.2 crore voters had cast their votes in the 438 constituencies.

Of course, the total number of eligible voters in the 438 constituencies also went up over the last few years – going up from 57.69 crore in 2009 to 66.9 crore this year.