The fifth phase of the Lok Sabha election, held on Monday, witnessed a voter turnout of 60.3 percent by 11.45 pm, a slight decrease from the 62.5 percent turnout recorded in 2019. The election phase covered 49 seats across six states and two Union territories, involving over 53 million voters. West Bengal led the voter turnout with 74.7 percent, while Maharashtra lagged with the lowest at 54.3 percent.
Diverse Voter Engagement Across Key Regions
In Uttar Pradesh, 14 constituencies saw a turnout of 57.8 percent, marginally down from 58.5 percent in 2019. Despite the overall decline, certain high-profile seats such as Rae Bareli and Amethi registered increased voter engagement.
Rae Bareli and Amethi, represented by Union Minister Smriti Irani and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, respectively, saw notable voter participation. Other Uttar Pradesh constituencies like Barabanki, Fatehpur, Kaiserganj, and Rampur also experienced higher turnout compared to the last election.
Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla constituency reported a significant increase in voter turnout, climbing to 57.4 percent from 34.6 percent in 2019. This surge surpassed the turnout in all six Mumbai constituencies. In Mumbai, voter participation ranged from 47.7 percent in Mumbai South to 55.2 percent in Mumbai North, according to data from the Election Commission’s turnout app.
Maharashtra, which had 13 seats up for grabs, saw mixed voter engagement. Bhiwandi, Kalyan, and Thane constituencies experienced an uptick in turnout, contrasting with the generally low engagement in urban centers like Mumbai, Thane, and Nashik. Kalyan recorded the lowest turnout among all constituencies at 47.1 percent, followed closely by Mumbai South at 47.8 percent.
Regional Trends and Security Measures
The overall voter turnout in Odisha and West Bengal declined compared to the 2019 polls. Arambagh in West Bengal reported the highest polling at 79.5 percent, although this was nearly four percentage points lower than five years ago.
Bihar’s Hajipur and Jehanabad constituencies, represented by Lok Janshakti Party leader Chirag Paswan, saw higher voter turnout than in 2019. Meanwhile, Hazaribagh in Jharkhand experienced a minor decline, with turnout dipping slightly from 64.9 percent to 64.5 percent.
With the completion of the fifth phase, polling has concluded in 428 of the 543 Lok Sabha seats. The Election Commission reported smooth conduct of polling across all constituencies, facilitated by stringent security measures to ensure a conducive environment for voters. “The weather was largely normal except for hot conditions in isolated pockets,” the Commission noted.
The lower overall turnout in this phase compared to the previous election may reflect a variety of factors. These include voter apathy, satisfaction or dissatisfaction with current governance, or localized issues influencing voter behavior.
The slight drop in voter engagement, particularly in urban areas, underscores the need for continued efforts to encourage voter participation and address the reasons behind the decline.
The fifth phase of the Lok Sabha election highlighted regional variations in voter turnout, with some constituencies showing increased engagement while others saw a decline. High-profile seats in Uttar Pradesh and constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir bucked the trend with higher voter participation, suggesting strong localized interest and competition.
Conversely, urban centers in Maharashtra and overall turnout in West Bengal and Odisha indicated a drop, reflecting varying levels of voter enthusiasm and engagement.
As the nation heads towards the final phases of the election, the focus will likely remain on key battlegrounds and high-stakes constituencies. The Election Commission’s efficient handling of the electoral process, despite the slight dip in turnout, demonstrates the robustness of India’s democratic processes. The final phases will be crucial in determining the overall voter engagement and the outcome of the 2024 Lok Sabha election.
