Lok Sabha Elections: Voter Turnout In First Four Phases At 66.95%, Says Poll Body

The Lok Sabha election 2024 has seen a voter turnout at polling stations of about 66.95% in the four phases held so far, the Election Commission of India said on Thursday, amid concerns over lower polling in the middle of a hotter-than-usual summer.

According to the polling body, nearly 451 million people voted during the first four phases of the ongoing general elections. It has instructed state-level election officials to step up voter awareness campaigns in the remaining three phases.

Polling has been completed in over 380 out of 544 Lok Sabha constituencies. The fifth, sixth and seventh phases will be held on May 20, May 25, and June, respectively. The votes will be counted on June 4.

The Election Commission has roped in celebrities, as well as public and private organizations, to encourage voter participation.

The initiative includes SMS, WhatsApp, and Facebook alerts; voter awareness messages during IPL matches; and discounts for voting by popular brands.

Following the ECI statement, the Indian stock indices recovered in the last hour of trade and surged to their highest level in seven sessions. The Nifty 50 reclaimed 22,400 for the first time since May 6.

Investors have been jittery since the first phase of elections as provisional polling figures lagged compared to the 2019 vote, raising worries about the extent of the mandate a widely expected BJP government will manage to pull.