The phase 5 of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections has seen the lowest voter turnout so far at 62.2 percent, though at the same time the women voter percentage at 63 percent surpassed that of men, according to the Election Commission data.
In this phase, however, West Bengal led the voting percentage with 78.4 percent voter turnout.
The voter turnout was markedly low in urban areas of Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. The fifth phase polling at 62.2 percent was lower than the 69.2 percent voter turnout in phase 4, 65.7 percent in phase 3, 66.7 percent in phase 2 and 66.1 percent in phase 1, a Times of India report said.
However, phase 5 had something to cheer about as the women voter turnout was 1.5 percent higher than the male voters. The voting in the phase 5 was lower across all genders.
In phase 4, which witnessed the highest voter turnout so far, polling among women was at 68.7 percent and 69.6 percent among men.
State-wise voter turnout
West Bengal recorded the highest voter turnout in phase 5 at 78.4 percent, Odisha at 73.5 percent, Ladakh at 71.7 percent and Jharkhand at 63.2 percent. In Jammu and Kashmir, Baramulla recorded the highest voter turnout at 59.1 percent.
In West Bengal, Arambagh recorded 81.4 percent and Bangaon recorded 80 percent voter turnout in phase 5. Mumbai South and Kalyan in Maharashtra saw lowest voter turnout at 50 percent and 50.1 percent respectively. In Uttar Pradesh, Kaushambi and Lucknow saw 52.8 percent and 52.3 percent polling respectively in the phase 5.
Urban areas in India tend to have lower voter turnout compared to rural areas. Factors such as urban apathy, migration, and a higher percentage of floating populations contribute to this trend. Education, income levels, and socio-economic status also impact voter turnout. More affluent and educated individuals, especially in urban areas, sometimes exhibit voter apathy. Conversely, rural and less affluent populations, despite facing logistical challenges, often show higher engagement in the electoral process.
Addressing low voter turnout in India requires a multifaceted approach, including improving voter education, enhancing the voting process, and fostering greater civic engagement among all demographic groups.
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