Karnataka records its highest voter turnout in state polls at 73.19%
The turnout is likely to rise further as votes polled through postal ballot and ‘Vote for Home’ (VFH) facility for elderly residents are yet to be counted, the poll body added.
Karnataka recorded a turnout of 73.19% in the May 10 assembly elections, marking the highest voting percentage registered in the southern state ever, the Election Commission (EC) said on Thursday.
The turnout is likely to rise further as votes polled through postal ballot and ‘Vote for Home’ (VFH) facility for elderly residents are yet to be counted, the poll body added.
“Karnataka has created a new record for itself. Final voter turnout for Karnataka election 2023 stands at 73.19%,” the chief electoral office said.
The turnout is higher than the final figures of 72.36% and 71.83% in 2018 and 2013, respectively.
While Ramanagara district recorded the highest turnout of 85.04%, the lowest was in Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) South limits (parts of Bengaluru city) at 54.50 %.
Melkote constituency saw the highest turnout of 91.01%, followed by Hoskote at 90.95%.
Bengaluru did not buck the trend of low turnout despite multiple campaigns by EC and BBMP to boost voter participation.
Data showed that the four segments of Bengaluru district, BBMP Central, BBMP North, BBMP South and Bengaluru Urban recorded a turnout of 55.50%, 52.59%, 52.33% and 57.71%, respectively. Bommanahalli constituency in Bengaluru district recorded the lowest turnout of 47.36%
Professor MN Sreehari, an infrastructure advisor and expert, expressed disappointment over the low turnout. “The same IT or Bengaluru urban people only comment on infrastructure and its inadequacy while blaming elected representatives,” Sreeehari said.
“Shame on Bangaloreans for this poor performance. To tour or to stay at home without voting is not okay. In the next election, the government should not give a holiday and on the other hand, booths should be opened at all offices,” Sreehari added.
Experts said the overall voters’ participation may have been the highest this election, but the increase was marginal in comparison to previous years.
Political observer A Narayana said the state had registered a voter turnout of above 70% in the last three elections. “Even though the Election Commission has put in a lot of effort to increase the number, the increase is marginal. However, it is a good number, and it shows there is decisiveness among voters,” he said.
Polling across 224 constituencies sealed the fate of 2,430 candidates from the three major political parties – the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) – and independents. The results will be declared on Saturday.
The BJP is looking to retain its only government in southern India and hold off challenges from the Congress and JD(S).
A clutch of exit polls has predicted that the Congress is likely to edge ahead of the BJP and perhaps even gain a majority of its own in the elections.
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