Turnout in 1st 4 phases of Lok Sabha polls at 67%; 45.1 crore have voted: EC | India News

NEW DELHI: Voter turnout in the first four phases of the ongoing Lok Sabha polls stands at 67%, Election Commission said on Thursday. Around 45.1 crore of 97 crore registered electors have voted so far, it said.
Polling data available till now indicate the turnout in the first three phases saw a dip compared to 2019, but the gap narrowed in the fourth phase – to 0.4 percentage points.The poll body is expected to release the final voting percentages for the fourth phase on Friday. EC’s voter turnout app put it at 69.2%; the turnout in these seats (minus Srinagar) in 2019 was 69.6%.
“High voter turnout is a message from Indian voters to the world at large,” EC said in a statement.
Distribute voter information slips well in time: EC
It (EC) added that as part of its outreach to enhance voter turnout, the poll body has introduced various interventions to appeal to and motivate voters to cast their vote.
CEC Rajiv Kumar and elections commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu have directed the state chief election officers where polls will be held in fifth, sixth and seventh phase to distribute voter information slips well in time to all electors and enhance outreach activities.
“Commission believes that partnership and collaboration are essential for voter awareness. It’s heartening to see that on Commission’s request, different institutions, influencers and celebrities are working enthusiastically on pro bono basis,” the CEC said.