Despite best efforts by officials in several districts to hit 80%, the final state tally may stop at 78%
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It was indeed a neck and neck fight when it comes to polling percentage as the voter turnout was only around 75 percent last time.
Election Commission sources say the final figure may go up to 78 this time. But chances of crossing 80 percent mark as expected by the commission is bleak.
The rainy climate, as well as long holidays, could have led to low turnout. “The wet weather could have discouraged many from voting. Also, three days of continuous holidays for government offices and banks during school vacations could have been utilised by many to go on tours,” said an official.
In separate incidents, four have died while going to vote. Polling getting disrupted due to electronic voting machine (EVM) malfunctioning was also minimum. “Though malfunctioning of EVMs was reported from many booths, they could be rectified soon and hence the polling was not affected in any of the 21,498 polling stations and 148 auxiliary polling stations,” said an election commission official.
Considering the mass malfunction of EVMs in the 2015 local body polls
owing to damp climate, the Election Commission had taken precautions by conducting a second round testing of the EVMs. There was an initial surge in polling, which was considered to be due to the forecast of heavy rains in the afternoon. Within two hours, it crossed 10 percent mark and by around 2 pm, it surpassed 50 percent. But in the last three to four hours, the polling rate progressed at a snail’s pace.
Many polling stations in cities which used to witness a rush in the afternoon looked deserted. As per the latest available figures, there was a slight increase in poll percentage in four districts compared to that of 2011- Thiruvananthapuram, Idukki, Palakkad and Kannur.
The polling went down marginally in Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Malappuram, Kozhikode and Kasargod districts. In Thrissur and Wayanad, it was almost the same that of 2011. “Once the figures are finalised, the polling percentage in all districts may surpass the 2011 figures,” said the sources.
The election commission had been carrying out massive awareness camps to woo the 2,60,19,284 voters to exercise their franchise. Its slogan for the year was ‘no voter to be left behind’. Even the message was sent out on the Facebook on Monday.
