Lok Sabha Elections 2024: EC releases voter turnout data; 66.14% in Phase 1, 66.71% in Phase 2

New Delhi: The Election Commission on Tuesday put the polling in first and second phases at 66.14 per cent and 66.71 per cent, an announcement that came after Opposition I.N.D.I.A. leaders questioned the delay in providing the data even after completion of the polls days ago.

The first phase of election for 102 seats was held on April 19 and the second phase for 88 seats was held on April 26. The remaining five phases will be held between May 7 and June 1, while the counting of votes will be held on June 4.

Karnataka recorded 69.86 per cent voting for 14 of 28 seats in phase 2 of polling across India.

According to the EC, more men voted (66.22 per cent and 66.99 per cent) in both the phases compared to women (66.07 per cent and 66.42 per cent). The turnout among third gender was dismally low at 31.32 per cent and 23.86 per cent in phase 1 and phase 2 respectively.

The 21-page statement by the EC showed that Lakshadweep posted the highest polling percentage (84.16 per cent) in the first phase. Among the big states, West Bengal where three out of 42 seats went to polls topped the list with 81.91 per cent followed by Tamil Nadu where all seats went to elections had 81.48 per cent votes.

In the first phase, Bihar where five out of 40 seats went to polls had only 49.26 per cent polling, the least among 13 states and union territories that went to polls. Of the 102 seats, seven seats saw over 80 per cent polling, while three had less than 50 per cent polling.

The highest polling was recorded in Arunachal East (81.31 per cent) after Lakshadweep. Both seats failed to equal the polling percentage of 2019 – 85.21 per cent in Lakshadweep and 87.03 per cent in Arunachal East.

Nawada in Bihar recorded the lowest turnout at 43.17 per cent in the first phase as against 49.73 per cent recorded in 2019. Karauli-Dholpur registered 49.59 per cent (55.18 per cent in 2019) and Almora’s polling percentage was 48.74 per cent (52.31 per cent in 2019).

In 43 seats in first phase, women outnumbered men and among the three seats with worst turnouts barring Almora, men outnumbered women. In Almora, 53.12 per cent of voters were women. In Garhwal, the overall voting percentage crossed 50 per cent only because 56.69 per cent of women came out to vote while only 44.54 per cent men voted.

In the second phase when 88 seats in 12 states and UTs went to polls, Manipur witnessed 84.85 per cent polling, while Assam where five out of 13 seats went to polls, the turnout was 81.17 per cent. Tripura registered 80.36 per cent.

Worst turnout was in Madhya Pradesh (six seats) where 58.59 per cent voted followed by Bihar (five seats), which recorded 59.45 per cent polling. Three seats each had polling percentages above 80 per cent and below 55 per cent. Not a single seat has less than 50 per cent polling.

Mathura in Uttar Pradesh recorded the worst 49.41per cent, a sharp decline from 61.08 per cent in 2019 followed by Rewa in Madhya Pradesh with 49.43 per cent (60.41 per cent in 2019). Ghaziabad recorded 49.88 per cent voting this time as against 55.89 per cent.