Number of voters up by over 10% in HP, says chief electoral officer

The total number general electors increased to 55

The total number general electors increased to 55.25 lakh in the 2022 assembly elections from 49.88 lakh during the Vidhan Sabha polls of 2017, thus amounting to an increase of 10.73%, said Himachal chief electoral officer Maneesh Garg on Saturday.

The total number general electors increased to 55.25 lakh in the 2022 assembly elections from 49.88 lakh during the Vidhan Sabha polls of 2017, said Himachal chief electoral officer Maneesh Garg on Saturday. (Image for representational purpose)

These include 1.93 lakh first-time voters between 18 and 19 years of age, he added.

The number of electors who voted in the 2017 elections (excluding postal ballots of service and election duty voters) was 37.27 lakh, which increased to 41.6 lakh in 2022 (excluding postal ballot voters as above), thereby registering an increase of 11.6%, he said.

Garg said from this data analysis, it can be inferred that the voting percentage of the newly enrolled electors since 2017 was nearly 80.5% in 2022 assembly elections.

This was due to the efforts of the Election Commission of India that the enrolment of new voters has increased in the state, he added.