‘Unusual & worrying’: Why Opposition is wary of EC over voter turnout figures of first 2 phases of Lok Sabha Elections

‘Meaningless & worrying’: Why opposition questions EC voter turnout of first two phases of Lok Sabha elections

The Election Commission of India (ECI) released the final voting figures for the first two phases of the Lok Sabha elections on April 30. The announcement came 11 days after the first phase polling on April 19, and four days after the second phase on April 26.

According to the poll panel’s data, the voter turnout for the first phase of polling was 66.14 per cent, marking a drop of about 4 percentage points compared to the first phase in the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections. Similarly, the turnout for the second phase was 66.71 per cent, reflecting a drop of about 3 percentage points compared to the 2019 elections.

The general elections are being conducted in seven phases. The remaining five phases are scheduled for May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1. Vote counting will take place on June 4.

‘Percentages meaningless’

The Opposition parties, including the Congress, the CPI (M) and the TMC, have questioned the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) delay in publishing the final voter turnout numbers of the first two phases of Lok Sabha Elections 2024.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury raised concerns regarding the absence of absolute voter numbers in each Parliamentary constituency. He questioned why this crucial information was not provided, stating that “percentages are meaningless unless this figure is known.” Yechury expressed apprehensions about the potential manipulation of election results, emphasizing that total voter numbers could be altered during the counting process.

“Total number of voters in each constituency was always available on ECI website till 2014, ECI must be transparent & put out this data,” Yechury said.

‘Unusual & worrying’

Activist-politician Yogendra Yadav also expressed concern over the delay in releasing the final voter turnout figures, describing it as “unusual and worrying.”

“I have watched and studied Indian elections for 35 years now. While a difference of 3 to 5 % points between initial (polling day evening) and final turnout figures was not abnormal, we used to get the final data within 24 hours,” Yogendra Yadav, who has also been a psephologist, said in a post on X.

Yadav also questioned the non-disclosure of the number of electorate and votes polled for each constituency and its segments.

Before the numbers were released, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said it is essential for the ECI to be timely and transparent about all election-related data, and it should come out with the figures and make them public.

“For the first time, even 11 days after the first phase of the polls and four days after the second phase, the final voter turnout has not been published by the ECI. In the past, ECI used to publish the final voter turnout immediately after voting or within 24 hours. Only approximate polling figures are available on ECI’s website. What accounts for this delay,” he asked in a post on X.

5 % jump in approx. and final turnout

Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Derek O’Brien pointed out a 5 per cent jump in the numbers released on Tuesday compared to figures shared earlier after the completion of phase 2 voting on April 26. “Is this normal? What am I missing here?” O’Brien asked.

While 102 seats were contested in the first phase another 88 seats went to polls in the second phase. After the voting concluded, the Election Commission said that “approximate trend” for first phase on April 19 was 60 per cent, and for the second phase on April 26 was 60.96 per cent. However, the official final figures released on Tuesday revealed that the voter turnout for the first phase was 66.14 per cent, and for the second phase, it was 66.71 per cent.

In comments before the release of the data, O’Brien had accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of trying to destroy the Election Commission of India by making changes in the rules of appointment of CEC and Election Commissioners.

O’Brien was referring to the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023, which regulates the appointment of the chief election commissioner and other election commissioners.

The bill passed by the Parliament last year, provides for the appointment of the CEC and election commissioners by a panel excluding the Chief Justice of India, who was part of the panel as per the process before the new bill.

The law has provisions for a selection committee, chaired by the Prime Minister, leader of the opposition and a union minister, to make recommendations to the President for appointment of CEC and election commissioners.