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Voters show their voter's identity cards and ink-marked fingers after casting their votes at a polling station, during the 4th phase of Lok Sabha elections, in Ajmer district, Monday, April 29, 2019. (PTI Photo) [/caption]
New Delhi, April 29 (IANS): A voter turnout of 64% was witnessed at 72 Lok Sabha constituencies spread across nine states which went to the polls on Monday in the fourth phase.
The turnout in 2014 in these seats was 61.48%.
The polling percentage improved in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Bihar while it was less in West Bengal and Odisha and marginally less in Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand compared to the last election. It was somewhat better in Rajasthan.
The poll percentage is expected to go up once all the votes cast are taken into account. The voting percentage was 69.50% in the first phase, 69.44% in the second and 68.40% in the third phase.
Senior Deputy Election Commissioner Umesh Sinha said that voting process has been completed in two more states - Maharashtra and Odisha - after conclusion of fourth phase of seven-phase election.
Polling was also held in Kulgam district of Anantnag parliamentary constituency in Jammu and Kashmir where 10.5% people exercised their franchise compared to 36.84% in 2014. The seat is witnessing a three-phased election.
Of the states that went to the polls, Rajasthan saw a voter turnout of 64.5% for 13 seats that went to the polls compared to 64. 48 in 2014. It was 65.77 % in six seats of Madhya Pradesh (64.84 in 2014), 63.39 % in three seats of Jharkhand (63.82 in 2014), 76.44% in eight seats of West Bengal (83.38 in 2014), 58.82% in five seats of Bihar (56.18 in 2014), 58.23 % in seventeen seats of Maharashtra (55.58 in 2014).
In Odisha, where polling was also held for 41 assembly seats alongside six Lok Sabha seats, the voter turn out was 68 % compared to 73.75% in 2014.
In thirteen seats of Uttar Pradesh, the polling percentage was 57.58% compared to 58.39% in 2014.
