ECI Voter Turnout For LS Elections 2024 Reveals Only 3 Percent Difference With 2019 Polls

New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has released the voter turnout data for Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the ongoing Lok Sabha Elections 2024. This data helps in refuting the Opposition's claims that voting has been low this election.

The Phase 1 of Lok Sabha Elections 2024 was held on April 19 with 102 seats, while the second phase was held on April 26 with 88 seats. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) maintains that voter turnout is low because the Congress and its allies have not been able to get people to vote for them. 

What does the ECI Voter Turnout for 2024 reveal?

In general, the voter turnout in LS Polls 2024 can be seen as lower than the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections. However, if one takes a look at the data closely, only a 3.29 percent difference in Phase 1 and 2.93 percent in Phase 2 is seen between the two general elections in terms of number of people voting.

According to the data published by the Election Commission, in Phase 1 of the Lok Sabha Elections 2024, a voter turnout of 66.14 percent was seen. In Phase 2 of the ongoing LS Polls 2024, a voter turnout of 66.71 percent was recorded. In Phase 1 of the LS Elections this year, 66.22 percent voters were male and 66.07 were female. The third gender voters were at 31.32 percent. In Phase 2 of the elections this year, 66.99 percent voters were male, 66.42 percent were female, and 23.86 percent voters belonged to the third gender.

As compared to these figures, in the 2019 Lok Sabha Polls, the Phase 1 voter turnout was 69.43 percent, and in Phase 2, the voter turnout stood at 69.64 percent.

Higher women voters in 2024

The EC report says that out of 21 states and union territories of India which went to polls in Phase 1, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Jammu and Kashmir, Lakshadweep, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand and West Bengal saw more women voters. The same trend was seen in Phase 2, where out of 13 states and union territories, Assam, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Kerala and West Bengal saw a higher turnout of women voters.

While a narrative was being built around voter apathy in the 2024 general elections, the data reveals the scenario as being on the contrary. The Phase 3 and final voter turnout of LS Elections 2024 will be released by EC after the election results have been declared. The final analysis could be made once the total percentage of voter turnout is known.