All votes in: Turnout 61.63% and counting in Phase 7, highest in West Bengal

According to an Election Commission statement, the overall turnout in the 57 Lok Sabha constituencies across seven states and one Union Territory where polling was held Saturday was 61.63 per cent at 11.45 pm.

The final turnout could increase after scrutiny of the records on Sunday and taking into account any repoll. The EC said the updated turnout would be released “in due course”. In 2019, the same 57 seats had a turnout of 64.5 per cent.

The turnout in West Bengal’s nine constituencies in Phase 7 was the highest among the eight states and UT at 73.36 per cent, followed by Odisha, which had six seats, at 70.67 per cent and Jharkhand, which had three seats in this phase, at 70.66 per cent.

In Himachal Pradesh, which had all its four seats going to polls Saturday, the turnout was 69.67 per cent. Bihar’s eight seats had the lowest turnout in the last phase at 51.92 per cent, but it was higher than the 2019 turnout in the same constituencies (50.4 per cent).

The voter turnout in Chandigarh’s lone seat was 67.9 per cent while Punjab, which has 13 seats, recorded a turnout of 58.33 per cent. Uttar Pradesh, with 13 seats, had a turnout of 55.59 per cent. Among those seats was Varanasi, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi contested, which had a turnout of 56.35 per cent — just below the 2019 turnout of 56.87 per cent.

Of the seven states and one UT, Bihar and Jharkhand had a higher turnout this time compared to 2019, while the remaining states and UT saw a decrease.

A total of 10.06 crore electors, in over 1.09 lakh polling stations, were eligible to cast their votes in the last phase.

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar told The Indian Express: “The 2024 elections have concluded in a most peaceful manner and with participation of voters in large numbers. We have had record turnout in Jammu and Kashmir, Left Wing Extremism areas and Manipur. Salute to all the voters.”

Polling was conducted amid heat wave conditions in UP, Bihar and Punjab. On Friday, 18 poll officials in Bihar and UP had died in 24 hours due to heat-related ailments.

Asked for comment, Kumar said: “We have directed the UP and Bihar CEOs to be in touch with families of those affected by heatwave and to ensure that compensation is provided at the earliest to the families of those who lost their lives. All CEOs have also been directed to provide coolers, water, ORS, medical teams at the counting centres for staff, candidates and their agents.”

In a statement, the Election Commission thanked the voters who came out to cast their votes. Over 96.88 crore electors were eligible to cast their votes in the 2024 polls.

“The massive participation in the democratic exercise reaffirms the democratic ethos and spirit of India. ECI also expresses its gratitude to the entire election machinery including security forces for their dedication and commitment in providing smooth, peaceful and festive environment to voters across the country, braving tough weather, logistical challenges like tough terrains and managing law and order in a diverse demography,” the EC said.

According to EC data, the overall voter turnout in the six phases saw a decline of 1.55 percentage points from 67.18% in 2019 to 65.63% this time. Ninety-four constituencies witnessed a drop in the absolute number of voters this time.

The elections kicked off with the announcement of the seven-phase polls on March 16, along with Assembly elections in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim, by the CEC and Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu.