Srinagar, New Delhi: The approximate voter turnout recorded at 9:30 PM stood at 59.62%, according to data from the Election Commission’s Voter Turnout App. West Bengal marked the highest turnout at 78.20%, while Jammu and Kashmir reported the lowest at 52.92%.
Delhi’s polling percentage was recorded at 55.85%, Bihar at 54.49%, Jharkhand at 63.27%, Uttar Pradesh at 54.03%, Odisha at 60.07%, and Haryana at 59.28%, as per EC data.
The Election Commission, in a statement, expressed its strengthened resolve to uphold electoral democracy, citing the Supreme Court’s observations and verdict on the release of turnout data.
“Today, all seven seats in Delhi, followed by 10 in Haryana, eight each in Bihar and West Bengal, six in Odisha, four in Jharkhand, and 14 in Uttar Pradesh are up for polls. Jammu and Kashmir will conclude its election schedule today, with voting in the final five seats.”
In the sixth phase, polling across 58 Parliamentary Constituencies recorded an approximate voter turnout of 59.06% by 7:45 PM. Despite hot weather, voters displayed unwavering enthusiasm, queuing patiently at polling stations nationwide.
Notably, Anantnag-Rajouri PC in Jammu and Kashmir witnessed peaceful polling with a turnout of 52.28%, the highest in many decades.
CEC Rajiv Kumar and ECs Shri Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, along with their families, exercised their franchise, ensuring a close monitoring of the poll process. Stringent security measures were implemented to facilitate fear-free voting.
The approximate voter turnout figures will be continuously updated on the ECI’s Voter Turnout App. Scrutiny of election papers and decisions on repolls, if necessary, will follow laid down procedures, with updated turnout figures expected by May 30, 2024.
Odisha saw simultaneous polling in 42 Assembly Constituencies alongside Parliamentary Constituencies, with scenes of jubilation reflecting a voter turnout of 60.07%. Efforts to enroll and motivate PVTG voters yielded positive results, evident in their participation and post-voting celebrations.
With phase 6 concluded, polling for General Elections 2024 has concluded in 28 States/UTs and 486 PCs, including General Elections for State Legislative Assemblies of Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Andhra Pradesh, and 105 Assembly seats of Odisha.
Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar dismissed doubts cast on voter turnout, affirming the robustness of systems at the Election Commission, particularly in light of Lok Sabha constituency-wise data release.
By the end of sixth phase, elections will be completed in 486 of the 543 Lok Sabha seats. Polling will also be completed in Haryana, Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir. The Election Commission has asked poll officers and authorities to take adequate measure to mitigate the effects of rising temperatures in Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh due to a heatwave across north India.
Voters in the following seven states and one union territory will cast their ballots: Eight seats each in Bihar and Bengal, seven in Delhi, 10 in Haryana, four in Jharkhand, 14 in Uttar Pradesh, and the final seat in Jammu & Kashmir — Anantnag-Rajouri, where poling was moved from the third to the sixth phase. Some of the key seats in this phase include New Delhi, North-East Delhi, North-West Delhi and Chandni Chowk in the national capital and Sultanpur and Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh. Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag-Rajouri, West Bengal’s Tamluk, Medinipur, Haryana’s Karnal, Kurukshetra, Gurgaon, Rohtak and Odisha’s Bhubaneswar, Puri and Sambalpur are some of the other key seats.
