Uttar Pradesh recorded a 54.03 % voter turnout in the sixth phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha election in 14 constituencies of the Purvanchal region on Saturday, falling marginally short of the 2019 polling percentage of 54.49 for the same seats, according to Election Commission of India figures. This was the lowest turnout among the six phases held in the state in the ongoing parliamentary election.
The 2024 voter turnout was lower than the 2019 mark in 10 constituencies (Sultanpur, Azamgarh, Jaunpur, Pratapgarh, Sant Kabir Nagar, Lalganj, Basti, Domariyaganj, Machhlishahr and Bhadohi) that voted on Saturday. It was higher, even if marginally, than the 2019 figure in three constituencies (Ambedkarnagar, Shravasti and Phulpur). It was the same as the 2019 mark in Allahabad. Ambedkarnagar not only topped the voter turnout chart for this phase in 2024 but also crossed the 2019 mark.
A decline in voter turnout was observed as the polling moved from West Uttar Pradesh constituencies (first three phases), to central UP (Phases 4 and 5), to east Uttar Pradesh (14 Lok Sabha seats in Phase 6) on Saturday.
In the first phase, 61.11% voter turnout was recorded. In the second phase it was 55.19%, 57.34% in the third phase, 58.22% in the fourth phase and 58.02% in the fifth phase. In Phase 6, 54.03% polling was witnessed in 14 Lok Sabha constituencies in eastern UP on Saturday.
Nevertheless, after a dip in the first three phases of polling, the voter turnout in the state is now almost close to the 2019 election mark from the fourth phase onwards.
{{/usCountry}}Nevertheless, after a dip in the first three phases of polling, the voter turnout in the state is now almost close to the 2019 election mark from the fourth phase onwards.
{{/usCountry}}In 2019, 66.50% voter turnout was recorded in the first phase, 62.09% in the second phase, 59.92% in the third , 58.75% in the fourth and 58.45% in the fifth phase.
The meteorological department had sounded a yellow alert in east UP districts in view of an increase in the day temperature. The impact of the heatwave was witnessed in constituencies in the urban areas, including Allahabad and Phulpur.
Sultanpur, where former Union Minister Maneka Gandhi is seeking a second term and ninth overall, recorded 55.61% voter turnout on Saturday against 56.37% in 2019.
Azamgarh, where the Yadav family scion Dharmendra Yadav is pitted against actor-turned-politician Dinesh Lal Yadav “Nirahua” of the BJP witnessed 56.12% polling, lower than the 2019 figure of 57.44%.
Ambedkarnagar, where former minister and SP candidate Lalji Verma is in fray against Ritesh Pandey of the BJP, recorded 61.54% turnout, slightly higher than the 2019 mark of 61.03%.
Allahabad, where former minister Ujjawal Raman Singh is in the fray on the Congress ticket against Neeraj Tripathi of the BJP, witnessed 51.75% turnout equal to the 2019 polling percentage of 51.75%.
Shravasti recorded 52.76% polling, slightly higher than the 2019 turnout of 52.05%. In this constituency, MLC Saket Mishra, son of Nripendra Mishra, former principal secretary to PM Narendra Modi and current chairman of the Ram Temple construction committee, is locked in a contest against Ramshiromani Verma of the SP.
Jaunpur recorded 55.52% polling, lower than the 2019 figure of 55.65%. The constituency was in the news after Shrikala Reddy Singh, wife of gangster-turned-politician Dhananjay Singh, withdrew from the contest and announced support to the BJP candidate Kripashankar Singh, who is locked in a three- corner contest against SP candidate Babu Singh Kushwaha and BSP sitting MP Shyam Singh Yadav.
Pratapgarh recorded 51.60% voter turnout, lower than the 2019 mark of 53.36%. Sitting BJP MP Sangam Lal Gupta is pitted against SP candidate SP Singh Patel there.
Sant Kabir Nagar recorded 52.63% polling against 54.15% turnout in 2019.
Lalganj, where BJP candidate Neelam Sonkar is locked in a triangular contest with SP candidate Daroga Prasad Saroj and the BSP’s Indu Chaudhary, recorded 54.39% polling against 54.76% in 2019.
Basti, where sitting BJP MP Harish Dwivedi is in the fray against SP candidate Ram Prasad Chaudhary, witnessed 56.66% polling against the 2019 mark of 56.90%.
Domariyaganj , where three-term MP and BJP candidate Jagadambika Pal, is pitted against SP candidate Bhishm Shankar aka Kushal Tiwari, son of former minister Hari Shankar Tiwari, witnessed 51.94% polling against 52.26% turnout n 2019.
Phulpur, where BJP candidate Praveen Patel is in the fray against Amarnath Maurya of the SP and the BSP’s Jagannath Pal, saw 48.97% polling, which was slightly higher than the 2019 mark of 48.57%.
Machhlishahr, where sitting BJP MP BP Saroj is pitted against SP candidate Priya Saroj, daughter of former MP Tufani Saroj, recorded 54.43% turnout, lower than the 2019 figure of 55.93%.
Bhadohi, where Trinamool Congress candidate Lalitesh Pati Tripathi, faced on BJP candidate Vinod Kumar Bind, recorded 53.03% polling, marginally lower than the 2019 turnout of 53.45%.
Polling started on a slow note on Saturday morning, but gradually picked up as the day progressed.
At 9am, 12.33% votes were polled, rising to 27.06% at 11am, 37.23% at 1 pm, 43.95% % at 3pm and 52.02 % at 5 pm, according to Election Commission of India data.
In the Gainsari assembly bypoll in Balrampur district, 51.10% voter turnout was recorded.
Repolling was held on booth number 343 in Farrukhabad Lok Sabha constituency and 73.99% voter turnout was recorded there.
Uttar Pradesh chief electoral officer Navdeep Rinwa said the sixth phase polling concluded peacefully and there was no report of untoward incident from anywhere.