CHANDIGARH: A remarkable 5,004 voters aged between 100 and 119 years, with an additional 205 voters surpassing 120 years are in Punjab. There are 4,89,631 first-time voters aged 18-19 years, including 16 transgender voters as of March 1 this year.
Punjab’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sibin C said that in adherence with the directives of the Election Commission of India, voters aged 85 years and above can cast their votes from their homes. This is aimed at facilitating participation, and instructions have been issued to all district election officers-cum deputy commissioners.
Sibin C said among the 5,004 voters aged between 100 and 119 years, there are 1,917 male and 2,928 female voters falling within the 100 to 109 years age bracket. There are 59 male and 100 female voters aged 110 to 119 years.
There are voters above 120 years old; 205 of them. The count includes 122 males and 83 females. Ludhiana district hosts the highest number of elderly voters, with 77 men and 34 women above the age of 120 years, followed by Ferozepur district with 24 men and 25 women, he said.
About first-time voters, the CEO reported that as on March 1, 2024, Punjab has 4,89,631 voters aged 18-19, including 16 transgender voters. Of these, 2,93,100 are males and 1,96,515 are females.
Punjab boasts of 2,12,71,246 voters, comprising 1,11,92,959 male voters and 1,00,77,543 female voters. Sibin C has urged voters to exercise their democratic right and participate in the electoral process to achieve the ambitious goal embodied by the slogan ‘Is Vaar 70 Paar’ in terms of percentage of voting.
Sibin C noted that out of 24,433 polling stations in the state, 2,416 have been identified as critical till now, warranting additional security measures. CCTV installation and centralized monitoring will be implemented across all polling stations.
Efforts will also focus on increasing the voter turnout, particularly at 12,000 polling stations where the turnout was lower than national and state averages in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls so that the objective of voting percentage is achieved.