India Concludes Peaceful Polling for the 18th Lok Sabha General Election

New Delhi: The General Elections for the 18th Lok Sabha concluded today with the peaceful polling of the seventh and final phase. Voting commenced across 57 Parliamentary Constituencies (PCs) and recorded an approximate voter turnout of 59.45% as of 8:45 PM.

In Odisha, 42 Assembly Constituencies went to polls simultaneously with the Parliamentary Constituencies. With the conclusion of phase 7, polling for the General Elections 2024 is now complete. Additionally, polling for the General Elections to the State Legislative Assemblies of Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha has also concluded.

Counting of Votes Scheduled The counting of votes for the Lok Sabha 2024 and the State Legislative Assemblies of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha is scheduled for June 4, 2024. Counting for the State Legislative Assemblies of Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim will take place on June 2, 2024.

Acknowledgment from the Election Commission of India The Election Commission of India (ECI) extends its deepest gratitude to voters, polling personnel, law enforcement agencies, security and paramilitary forces, volunteers, Indian Railways, and the Air Force, among others, for making this extensive electoral exercise a grand success.

Seamless and Secure Voting The polling across the country was conducted smoothly and peacefully over seven phases. The Election Commission, led by Chief Election Commissioner Shri Rajiv Kumar and Election Commissioners Shri Gyanesh Kumar and Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, closely monitored the entire polling process. Stringent security measures ensured a safe environment for voters to cast their ballots without fear or intimidation. The meticulous advance planning and rigorous training of election officials resulted in a significant reduction in the number of repolls, demonstrating the robustness of the election process.

Voter Turnout Highlights Across the seven phases, there have been numerous success stories. Long queues at polling stations across the country from the start of phase 1 reflected voters’ trust in the democratic process. People from all sections of society, including women, youth, third-gender individuals, persons with disabilities (PwDs), and senior citizens, participated enthusiastically. Notably, the fifth and sixth phases saw higher voter turnout percentages among women than men.

For the first time in Lok Sabha election history, a home-voting facility was introduced on a pan-India basis, enabling voters aged over 85 years and PwDs with a 40% benchmark disability to vote from home.

Regional Highlights Jammu and Kashmir recorded a voter turnout of 58.58%, the highest in 35 years. The Kashmir Valley saw a turnout of 51.05%, a significant increase from previous elections. In Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) affected Bastar, 102 villages had polling stations and recorded a remarkable turnout of 68.29%. The Surguja Parliamentary Constituency in North Chhattisgarh, with a significant PVTG population, also saw an overwhelming voter turnout.

Island Participation The democratic spirit in India was equally reflected in the high voter turnout in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep, which went to polls in the first phase. Andaman and Nicobar saw a turnout of 64.10%, with the Shompen tribe of Great Nicobar participating in a Lok Sabha election for the first time. Lakshadweep recorded a turnout of 84.16%.

Technological Integration Over 87% of complaints on the cVigil app were resolved within 100 minutes, reducing campaign clutter and noise. The Suvidha platform ensured transparent and timely approval of over 78% of requests from political parties and candidates for permissions for rallies and other activities.

Phase 7 Polling Overview In the final phase, Bihar, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Punjab, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal went to polls, with 904 candidates contesting.

The approximate voter turnout of 59.45% as of 8:45 PM will continue to be updated on the ECI’s Voter Turnout App. The Commission will issue another press note with updated voter turnout figures later tonight.

The 2024 General Election has once again demonstrated the strength and resilience of Indian democracy, with voters across the nation reaffirming their faith in the democratic process.