Vidarbha had seen highest turn-out of voters in 1951

Vidarbha had seen highest turn-out of voters in 1951

WITH all the political parties, countless social and voluntary organisations, and the administrative machinery motivating people to go to vote. it will be interest ing to see how many voters turn-out on April 10. the polling date for Lok Sabha elections this time in Vidarbha region.

This also calls for a look-back at the voter turn-out in Vidarbha in the past general elections, and the events thai might have affected the polling percentage. The region, which now comprises 11 districts and 10 Lok Sabha constituencies, has never recorded less than 50 per cent voter turn-out.

It recorded 78.88 percent polling in the first general elections to Lok Sabha held in the year 1951. The highest-ever polling percentage in the region was registered in 1957. when the second general elections to Lok Sabha were held.

Then, 82.25 was the polling per cenlage. However, barring the first two general elections, voter turnout in Vidarbha always remained under 70 per cent.

The general elections held in the year 1962. however, saw a drop of almost 14 percent in number of voters exercising their franchise in Yidarbha. The next elections saw a marginal rise of slightly over I per cent. Then on. the voter turn-out in Vidarbha has been inconsistent. Sometimes, there was increase over the previous year, followed by sudden drop. The year 1991 saw polling percentage in Vidarbha drop to the lowest-ever level of 52.41. from 66.17 in 1989 elections. Then, many had attributed this drop to the impact of economic crisis in these three years.

Three elections were held in four years starting from 1996. Interestingly, during this phase of political instability, the polling percentage saw a steady rise till election of a stable Government in 1999. The polling percentage in Vidarbha was59.08 in 19%. followed by 63.94 in 1998. and 65.20 in 1999. However, when the general elec-tioas to Lok Sabha were held in 2004. the voter turn-out decreased to 59.45 per cent.

This was a decrease by around six per cent compared to previous election. The slide in voter turn-out in Vidarbha continued in 2009 elections and there was decline by around four per cent.

A look at Vidarbha's voting performance in specially the past five general elections to Lok Sabha. reveals that polling percentage increased in 1996 and 1998. But. since 1999, it has declined steadily. This has triggered a lot of concern among political parties as polling percentage dipped specially in urban segments of the Parliamentary conslitucncics.

Even nationally, dip in polling percentage despite rise in population drew attention of political leaders as well as administrative machinery.

Especially in 2009 elections, many voters in Vidarbha allesed that their names were missing or polling booths were changed after delimitation of constituencies.

This was considered as one of the major reasons behind decline in polling percentage. Asa result, over the past five years, efforts were made systematically to remove as many discrepancies possible from the electoral rolls.

Besides, a new option of 'None of the Above" (NOTA) has been introduced considering the possibility that many voters wanted to express their dissent by not going to vote. All the political parties, social and voluntas organisations. Election Commission of India, administrative machinery, and media organisations have tried to motivate people to vote in more numbers. Against this backdrop, it will be interesting to sec if there is desired increase in polling percentage, at least in Vidarbha region.

Posted in: News 2014