Delhi sees highest voter turnout in three decades

New Delhi: Delhi registered the highest-ever voter turnout in the last three decades–65.05 percent–in the Lok Sabha polls this time with, the state Election Commission said today.

In 2009 Lok Sabha polls, the overall voting percentage for Delhi was recorded at 51.85 percent while the highest voter turnout ever in the history Delhi Lok Sabha poll is 71.3 percent recorded in the parliamentary elections held after the Emergency was lifted in 1977.

The December 2013 Delhi assembly elections had witnessed a turnout of 66.1 per cent.

While out of the 1.27 crore eligible voters in Delhi, over 82.65 lakh people exercised their franchise yesterday, in 2013 assembly polls, 78.75 lakh out of 1.19 crore eligible voters had done the same.

“This has become a reality. Delhi residents have broken the ‘urban apathy’ tag and came out in large numbers, especially women and youth, to exercise their franchise,” said Delhi Chief Electoral Officer Vijay Dev.

Among the seven parliamentary constituencies, the highest turnout of 67.13 percent was recorded in Chandni Chowk, while the lowest was recorded in North West with 61.38 percent.

Another achievement of the Election Commission in this election is that it has been able shorten the gap between men and women voting turnout as compared to 2009 Lok Sabha elections.

In 10 April poll, 65.75 percent men and 63.64 percent women cast their votes in the triangular among Congress, BJP and newbie Aam Aadmi Party. In 2009, the voting percentage of men and women were 53.6 percent and 49.6 percent respectively.

PTI