look news india
New Delhi Whenever the voting percentage increases in a general election, it is assumed that there is a strong protest against the government and the government is about to change. There are different reasons for low voting. It is believed that voters no longer care much about the government. They have become apathetic and accustomed to the status quo. What is happening will continue, but the history of parliamentary elections in India shows that more or less votes have mixed results. No promise of change and no sign of the status quo.
After independence, despite fluctuations in vote percentage, Congress continued to form governments again and again. Even in later years there is no fixed scale for it. The voting percentage in the 2009 general election was 58.21 percent, which increased by almost eight percent to 66.44 percent in 2014. This was described as a wave of change, but in the 2019 elections also the voting percentage increased by about three percent to 67.40 percent. Whereas there was no change and the government was formed by NDA. Similarly, there was about two percent less voting in 2004 compared to 1999. Still the government had changed. In the year 2023, 72.81 percent votes were cast in the Karnataka Assembly elections. There was no significant difference in the vote percentage in both the elections but the government changed. It is clear that no single result can be drawn from increase or decrease in vote percentage. Once the voting graph goes above seven percent, the result will also remain untouched. It is also true that more votes are cast in assembly elections than in parliamentary elections.
Political analyst Abhay Kumar gives many reasons for the increase in vote percentage, in which improvement in the voting system is the main one. According to Abhay, EVM has made the process easier. Earlier there used to be long queues at the booths. If the weather is bad, people do not come out of their homes. Now votes are cast within minutes and hence the voting percentage has increased. Due to the strictness of the administration, security has been increased. Due to this, voters have started reaching the booths without any fear. In the first general election held in the country after independence, there was 46 percent voting, while in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, there was 67 percent voting. There is a difference of 21 percent between the two, which shows that awareness is gradually increasing among the voters.
Actively increases voting percentage: Before voting, each party and candidate tries to get as many of their supporters out of their homes and vote as possible. Therefore, various techniques are adopted. The Election Commission runs awareness programs at its level. The Commission believes that 100% voting cannot take place. Five to ten percent of the people live outside their home area. In such a situation, the Commission considers even 70 percent voting as 80-82 percent. In recent elections, BJP booth managers have increased the vote percentage in many ways as other parties in response have similarly encouraged their voters to come to the booths. It varies according to weather conditions. Hot, cold weather or heavy rains may reduce turnout. If the weather is good, long queues form at the booths.
Year Vote (Percentage) – Government
2019: 67.40: NDA
2014: 66.40: NDA
2009 : 58.21 : UPA
2004 : 58.21 : UPA
1999 : 59.99 : NDA
1998 : 61.97 : NDA
1996 : 57.94 : United Front