NEW DELHI: Three days after polling ended for the fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday released the total voters’ turnout data showing a 62.2 per cent voter count. The polling happened on May 20 for 49 Lok Sabha constituencies in eight states and Union Territories.
The poll panel in an official statement issued on Thursday said, “In continuation of the ECI’s two press notes dated 20th May (on voting percentage), voter turnout of 62.20 per cent is recorded in phase five for 49 Parliamentary Constituencies (PCs) in the ongoing general elections.”
According to the data, the voter turnout for males was recorded at 61.48 per cent and for females at 63 per cent and third gender at 21.96 per cent. West Bengal recorded the highest turnout at 78.45 per cent, followed by Odisha at 73.50 per cent and Ladakh at 71.82 per cent.
Uttar Pradesh recorded 58.02 per cent and Jammu and Kashmir 59.10 per cent, which was higher than Maharashtra including all Mumbai city seats, which recorded 56.89 per cent.
However, the poll panel in the statement contended that the final turnout would only be available post-counting with the counting of postal ballots and its addition to the total vote count.
It also said, “… repolls at two polling stations in 13- Kandhamal PC in Odisha will be concluded today and the figures may get further updated accordingly once the data is updated for the repoll, which can be seen in the voter turnout app.”
The ECI further said, “Copy of Form 17C is also provided for every Polling Station in a Constituency to candidates through their polling agents. Actual data of Form 17C shall prevail, which is already shared with candidates.”
Out of the 49 Lok Sabha seats in the fifth phase, 14 parliamentary seats were from Uttar Pradesh, 13 from Maharashtra, seven from West Bengal, five each from Bihar and Odisha, three from Jharkhand, one each from Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
The first phase of polling was held on April 19, the second phase on April 26t, the third phase on May 7 and fourth phase on May 13. The first phase recorded 66.14 per cent voter turnout, second phase recorded 66.71 per cent, third recorded 65.68 per cent and fourth recorded 69.16 per cent, according to the data released by the ECI.
The sixth phase of voting is scheduled to take place on May 25 and the seventh phase on June 1. The counting of votes for all the phases will take place on June 4.