On voters turnout in Gujarat in Lok Sabha election 2024

Japan K Pathak, Gandhinagar: So how much turnout this time Gujarat? If we argue that turnout will be low due to summer, we must note that polling in the previous two Lok Sabha general elections also took place in summer. Gujarat registered 63.66 percent turnout in the 2014 general elections and highest 64.51 percent turnout in 2019. In fact, 64.51% turnout in 2019 general elections was highest ever. The previous high was 63.77 percent in 1967.

If we look at the figures of turnout in recent Lok Sabha polls, we can conclude that son of soil Narendra Modi’s foray in national politics, suddenly increased the turnout in Gujarat drastically. Gujarat witnessed poorest Lok Sabha polls turnout of 35.92% in 1996. The State witnessed around 45% to 48% turnout in 1999, 2004 and 2009 general elections. But after Modi’s foray in national politics, turnout went up to 63.66% in 2014 and 64.51% in 2019. Over 3 crore of around 4.77 crore voters would cast their votes if turnout is around 64%.

Turnout in other States has gone lower in the first two phases in the country. In 2019 general elections, Gujarat was 9th from last among 36 States and Union Territories in terms of highest turnout. Gujarat had last big election season in December 2022 when the State witnessed regular elections of 182-seat State assembly. The turnout had went down compared to previous assembly elections in 2017. However when asked by media about lower turnout, BJP had assured that all committed voters of BJP had indeed cast their voters, and the low voting was on account of lower interest of pro-Congress voters. The BJP had won highest 156 assembly seats in 2022 elections.

Due to heat, the ruling BJP leaders including Prime Minister Narendrabhai Modi and Home Minister Amitbhai Shah have appealed voters to cast their votes in the morning itself so that they can remain unaffected by heat in the afternoon. Gujarat BJP chief CR Patil has in a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner also appealed to make various arrangements to boost voting in heat. Prime Minister himself is likely to cast his vote at Nishan school in Ranip area of Ahmedabad in the morning.