Decline in voter turnout
A stocktaking exercise on voter participation in the general election 2024 across the country reveals a significant dampening in turnout in this set of elections in comparison to the 2019 and even the 2014 general elections.
There are State and regional level variations — voters in the east, northeast and many in the south typically voted higher than those in west, central and north India.
Yet, barring some exceptions such as Telangana and Karnataka, where voter turnout registered a small increase from 62.8% to 65.7% and 68.8% to 70.6% among others, there has been a general decline in voting across States in 2024.
Not only was there a dip in turnout in percentage terms, but there was also a decline in voter turnout in absolute terms in 132 of the 485 constituencies that went to polls in the first six phases.
The high number of seats that encountered a dip in voter participation is unprecedented since the latest delimitation that was conducted prior to the 2009 general election.
A closer look at the numbers shows that there was a significant bump in the total electorate (eligible voters above the age of 18 years) in 2014, and slight increases in 2019 and 2024.
But it was only in 2024 that voter turnout dropped dramatically in many constituencies.
India has always enjoyed a higher degree of participation relative to other electoral democracies and a significant drop, as seen this year, is cause for concern.
Voter apathy over the longer term can undermine the democratic process itself.
People get the government they deserve when they vote, and the government they do not deserve when they do not vote
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