Story in Numbers: Voters' pie in population getting larger, shows data

The Election Commission’s voter enrolment has become more efficient over the past seven decades, with  emphasis on registering women and young voters in recent years. The number of voters was just 48 per cent of total population in the first general elections in 1951-52. By 1991, this figure had risen to 60 per cent. Current estimates suggest that voters now make up almost 70 per cent of total population, although the latest Census data is not available.

The gender ratio in the electoral rolls has improved from 928 in 2019 to 948 in 2024. Twelve states and Union Territories, up from eight in 2019, now have a voter gender ratio greater than 1,000, reflecting the  improving gender ratio.

For the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, there are 18.4 million voters in the 18-19 age group, making up 1.89 per cent of total voters. This is an increase from the 15 million first-time voters (18-19 years) in 2019. In 2024, 215.8 million voters are between 18 and 29, representing 22.27 per cent of total electorate. This is a slight decrease from 2019, when 25.37 per cent of the voters were in the 18-29 age group.