On the eve of vote counting, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar announced on Monday that the Lok Sabha elections in India have achieved the highest voter turnout in the world. He described the Indian elections as a “miracle” during a press conference.
During the press briefing, CEC Rajiv Kumar applauded the voters who participated in the Lok Sabha elections. He highlighted the record-breaking participation of 642 million voters, marking a historic achievement. This figure represents 1.5 times the combined voter base of the G7 countries and 2.5 times that of the 27 European Union (EU) countries. Kumar expressed gratitude to everyone who participated in what he called a festival of democracy, reiterating the unparalleled nature of the Indian elections.
Furthermore, Kumar noted that 312 million women voted in the 2024 General Elections, a number that is 1.25 times the total women voters in the last national elections of the 27 EU countries. This statistic underscores the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) commitment to inclusive elections.
Kumar also acknowledged the inspirational contributions of voters aged 85 and above, emphasizing their role as democratic heroes who have witnessed India’s journey from pre-independence to the present. He commended the election personnel for their meticulous efforts, which resulted in a significant reduction in repolls. Compared to 540 repolls in 2019, there were only 39 repolls in 2024, with 25 of those occurring in just two states.
The CEC extended special thanks to the people of Jammu and Kashmir for their high voter turnout, the highest in four decades. He also highlighted the presence of the largest-ever global delegation of 75 observers from 23 countries, who were impressed by India’s electoral process.
Kumar outlined the measures taken to ensure free and fair elections, which involved addressing and tackling issues related to muscle power, money, misinformation, and violations of the Model Code of Conduct. He proudly noted the absence of violence during these elections, attributing it to two years of preparation.
The CEC also reported a record seizure of almost Rs 10,000 crores during the election, nearly three times the amount seized in 2019. Local teams were empowered to enforce electoral regulations effectively.
Finally, Kumar explained the robust counting process to be used for declaring the election results on June 4, likening its precision to that of a clock. Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu also participated in the press conference.
According to exit polls, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is predicted to secure a massive majority, potentially achieving a third consecutive win in the Lok Sabha elections. Some exit polls even suggest that the NDA could surpass the target of 400 seats, a goal mentioned by BJP leaders during the campaign. The Lok Sabha elections, conducted in seven phases starting April 19, will have their votes counted on June 4, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi leading the BJP’s campaign efforts.
