Sixth phase of Lok Sabha elections sees 63.3% turnout

New Delhi, May 12 (IANS) The sixth phase of Lok Sabha elections, covering 59 seats across seven states, saw a voter turnout of 63.3 per cent which was less than 65.67 per cent recorded in 2014 for the same seats, the Election Commission said on Sunday.

The voter turnout was higher in Bihar and Madhya Pradesh and almost the same in Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand. Delhi recorded a voter turnout of 59.8 per cent which is less than the 65.1 per cent in 2014.

"The overall polling percentage was 63.3 per cent for seats that went to the polls in the sixth phase of Lok Sabha elections. It was 65.57 per cent in 2014," Senior Deputy Election Commissioner Umesh Sinha said.

He said the poll percentage is expected to go up further as final figures come from various states.

The sixth phase was the penultimate phase of Lok Sabha elections and voting took place for 14 seats in Uttar Pradesh, all 10 in Haryana, eight each in West Bengal, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, four in Jharkhand and all seven seats in Delhi.

The polling percentage was 62.91 in Haryana (71.86 in 2014), 65.17 in Jharkhand (65.43 in 2014), 79.93 in West Bengal (84.98 in 2014), 60.06 in Madhya Pradesh (56.8 in 2014), 59.38 in Bihar (57.25 in 2014) and 54.12 in Uttar Pradesh (54.53 in 2014).

Sinha said that with completion of sixth phase of polling, 28 states and union territories have completed their polling.

He said the polling percentage for the first five phases was 69.5 per cent, 69.44 per cent, 68.40 per cent, 65.5 per cent and 64.16 per cent, respectively and the overall percentage was 67. 40 per cent which is 1.33 percentage points over the 66.07 per cent in 2014.

He also said that a distinct aspect of the election was that polling percentage of women, at 67.44, almost caught up with men (67.5 per cent)n.

He said this was a marked improvement over the previous two elections when the difference was 1.4 per cent and 9 per cent, he said.

"This is a tremendous achievement," he said.