The fourth phase of the Lok Sabha Elections recorded a turnout of 65.51 percent, which is a 2.46 percent increase from the 2014 figure of 63.05 percent, according to a report by The Economic Times. By the end of the fourth phase, 374 of the 543 Lok Sabha seats (69 percent of the total) have voted.
According to an SBI research report published by Business Today, the country may see the highest voter turnout since Independence in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls – the first phase recorded 69.5 percent turnout followed by 69.4 and 68.4 percent in the second and third phases.
Except the third phase, all other phases recorded a higher percent than 2014. Overall turnout after the four rounds this time is 67 percent compared to 67.6 percent in 2014.
If the remaining three phases of the seven phase election season record more turnouts, then this election will create history since the Independence, says SBI Research.
The report said the voter turnout in Andhra, Assam, Gujarat, Karnataka was highest ever since 1962. Chhattisgarh has seen 15 years and Maharashtra 30 years high in voter turnout. Mumbai registered a voter turnout of 55.1 percent, which is the highest for the city since 1989, the report said. Women voters who were previously missing from the electoral process are also actively casting their votes this election.
(With inputs from The Economic Times and Business Today)
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