While Indore saw the biggest decrease in turnout as compared to 2019, Andhra Pradesh voters set the record with 81% polling
There is no democracy without an electorate. However, there is no democracy either if the electorate does not turn up to vote — in large, absolute and impressive numbers.
The initial low voter turnout in the first three phases of elections as compared to 2019 has triggered a debate on the possible reasons, and speculations on the prospects of political parties and has kept the stock markets on the edge lately.
On May 16, the Election Commission updated on its official page that the voter turnout in the fourth phase of polling was 69.16% for 96 Parliamentary constituencies.
Further throwing in statistics to back its statement, the EC said that 45.10 crore of the nearly 97 crore electors had voted so far in the ongoing electoral exercise.
The cumulative turnout in the first four phases of the Lok Sabha elections has so far been recorded at 66.95%, the EC further informed.
The low voter turnout, especially in Uttar Pradesh, despite the calls by the Election Commission, celebrities, local politicos and young first-time voters all eagerly putting pictures of inked fingers on social media urging and nudging electorates to come out and vote in large numbers clearly didn’t work the way it should have. Barring a few constituencies.
Comparing the voter turnout with 2019
Even though the absolute numbers make comparison a little difficult and irrelevant, but according to the data released by EC, in five states (Bihar, Jharkhand, MP, UP, and West Bengal) the voter turnout decreased compared to the turnout in the corresponding seats in 2019. However, J&K played the silver lining as the one seat that went to polls on May 12 saw a 24% points increase in turnout from 14.39% in 2019 to 38.49%. Thereby taking the overall voter turnout in the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha Polls in 96 constituencies to 69.16 %. Notably, this is the first Lok Sabha polls after the erstwhile state was split into two UTs.
The data also said that the turnout increased in five of the states & UTs— Andhra Pradesh, J&K, Maharashtra, Odisha and Telangana in phase four. However, in five states (Bihar, Jharkhand, MP, UP, and West Bengal) the turnout decreased compared to the turnout in the corresponding seats in 2019.
Andhra Pradesh saves the day
Talk of a city that turned up in full swing to vote and Andhra Pradesh set a nationwide record for the highest voter turnout in the four phases of elections. With the final vote percentage at 81.66%, the turnout has been 2.12 per cent higher than the 2019 figure in the state. In the meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh’s Indore constituency, where the Congress had urged the voters to press the NOTA button, registered the biggest decrease in turnout, over 7.5 percentage points lower as compared to 2019.
The reasons for low turnout
More importantly, does low voter turnout spell doomsday for the economy and markets? Analysts point out that high voter turnout in 2019 was an aberration rather than a norm. It should definitely not be the barometer for comparison. In 2019, following the incident at Pulwama, a pro-incumbency wave hit the nation wherein they all feared political instability and territorial insecurity. Giving insight into the electorate’s minds, voter turnout not just reflects the level of voter consciousness but directly affects the functioning of the democracy, and how much trust do the citizens place in those running the race.
The high voter turnout in Andhra Pradesh is being directly viewed as a correlation to the major issues in the state. A trend that has somewhat reflected since the last three elections.
The mismatch in data and voter turnout numbers
As the nation gears up for the fifth phase of elections, in the meanwhile, the Supreme Court has sought a response from the EC within a week over a plea application alleging a mismatch between the voting percentage data and voter turnout details (Form 17) during the first two phases of the Lok Sabha Polls. The matter is pending for hearing on May 24, which is before the sixth phase of voting. The application also sought direction that the ECI make available the absolute numbers of the voter turnout immediately after each phase of the polls.
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