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Odisha closed its two-phased simultaneous polling for Lok Sabha and assembly polls on an impressive note, clocking an average turnout of 74 per cent in the two phases, a rise of almost nine per cent over 65.3 per cent recorded in the 2009 elections.
The growth in voter turnout rate in the state is higher than national average where turnout has moved up by 7.90 per cent over 2009 polls. According to data available for 111 Parliamentary seats, the average voter turnout recorded is 68.29 per cent.
In the staggered polling process that has so far been completed in five phases across the country, Odisha has scored over many states and Union territories in voter turnout rate- Karnataka (68 per cent), Bihar (54 per cent), Jharkhand (62 per cent), Madhya Pradesh (54 per cent), Maharashtra (55 per cent), Rajasthan (63 per cent) and Chhattisgarh (62 per cent). West Bengal tops all states with a voter turnout of 80 per cent.
Political observers attributed the high turnout of the electorate in Odisha to varied reasons.
“The environment created by the Election Commission, media and civil societies have enthused the people to come out and vote in large numbers in the state. The awareness among the general mass has also gone up compared to last elections. Women leadership of the self-help groups (SHGs) and youth clubs at village levels have motivated people to cast their vote,” said Ranjan Kumar Mohanty, coordinator, Odisha Election Watch, a civil society group.
Other factors that contributed to higher turnout is the emergence of regional political blocs and increase in count of independent candidates contesting the polls, Mohanty added.
In the first phase of polling on April 10 that covered the state’s southern and western regions, voter turnout was 75 per cent. The turnout in the second and final phase in the coastal belt stood at 73.36 per cent.
“Average polling in the state is 74 per cent. No poll violence or casualty was reported during the simultaneous elections. In the second phase, Mayurbhanj has recorded maximum polling at 82 per cent,” said Mona Sharma, chief electoral officer (Odisha).
While most districts in the state reported turnout beyond 70 per cent, Khurda is at the bottom with only 56 per cent turnout as a major chunk of the urban electorate in Bhubaneswar stayed away from polling booths.
The turnout was notably impressive in districts hit by left wing extremism (LWE) as voters defied boycott call of the Naxals.
The Naxal infested Nabarangpur district recorded a staggering turnout rate of 81.9 per cent. The turnout in rest of the Naxal affected districts was also over 70 per cent.
The polling was conducted in two phases in the state for 21 Lok Sabha and 147 assembly constituencies. About 29 million eligible voters exercised their franchise to decide the fate of 1,420 Lok Sabha candidates and 196 aspirants for the state assembly seats.
