A look at 2004 voter turnout

According to government stats, National Capital Delhi, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh polled with less than 50 per cent while Nagaland witnessed a highest voter turn out during the last (2004) general elections.

In 2004 Lok Sabha elections, 91% of electors in Nagaland turned out to exercise their franchise while the overall poll percentage in Gujarat and Delhi were 45% and 47% respectively.

In the last parliamentary election, Jammu and Kashmir though witnessed the lowest voter’s turnout with 35%, yet it seemed reasonably good in consideration with the difficult situation in the State arising out of militancy. However, in the seven-phase assembly election held last year, the state had recorded an average of over 60 percent polling.

Dispiriting voter interest was also recorded in Rajasthan (49.97%), Uttar Pradesh (48.16%), Madhya Pradesh (48.09%) and Uttaranchal (48.07%) while the Union territory of Chandigarh had witnessed a polling of about 51% in 2004 general elections.

West Bengal topped the list with 78.04%, Kerala 71.45%, Andhra Pradesh 69.95%, Karnataka 65.14%, Tamil Nadu 60.81% and Orissa (66.06%) recorded heavy polling. Bihar witnessed a voter turnout of 58.02%.

Among the northeastern states which accounted for more than 60% polling are Sikkim (77.95%), Assam (69.11%), Manipur (67.41%), Tripura (67.08%) and Mizoram (63.6%). Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya too polled impressively with 56.35% and 52.69% respectively.

In North, Haryana took the lead with 65.72% polling, followed by Punjab (61.59%) while the neighbouring Himachal Pradesh polled 59.71%. Positively, Lakshdweep with its very small number of electorates too had counted 81% in 2004 general election.

In the forthcoming general elections, the number of electors has increased about 6.4 percent, almost 43 million more, from the last Lok Sabha polls, and further increase in the voter participation is also expected amid a slue of national issues.