Bhopal (Madhya Pardesh): Drop in polling percentage in first phase of Lok Sabha elections in the state has left the elections officials to devise ways to increase the voters’ turnout in the remaining phases. The chief electoral officer, however, has rubbished the claims that only Madhya Pradesh recorded low turnout during the first phase.
In every state the poll percentage had dropped in the first phase for unknown reasons, said chief electoral officer Anupam Rajan, adding that a few states witnessed a sharper fall in voters’ turnout.
In the first phase, the poll turnout dropped by more than 7% in comparison to the polling recorded in 2019 in the last general elections, said Rajabn while talking to media persons.
“If heat is the problem, then why in Himachal Pradesh the polling percentage has dropped, and in Chhindwara the polling percentage has increased,” he asked.
Meanwhile, sharing the steps taken to increase the polling percentage in the coming three phases, the CEO said, “In the second phase the officials will be monitoring 8,524 polling stations. If they found a fewer numbers of voters, they will instruct the teams at the polling stations to appeal to the voters through an announcement to cast their vote.”
The officials will be keeping an eye on the polling stations through webcast. For the third and fourth phase a programme ‘Chalo Booth Ki Oor’ will be launched.
Duty First: Spl arrangements for families having weddings
A number of wedding ceremonies are scheduled on Friday, the day the second phase of Lok Sabha polls will be held.
To ensure families having weddings also come out to cast their votes, the election commission has made special arrangements for them. The family members have been asked to first come to the polling centre to exercise their franchise then attend the wedding programme. These families will be given preference at the police centre and their members will not have to stand in queue to cast their votes.
