India Sets Global Voting Record with 642 Million Votes Cast in Lok Sabha Elections

June 4, 2024 3:19 am

India has once again demonstrated the strength of its democracy by setting a world record for voter turnout in this year’s Lok Sabha elections. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajeev Kumar announced that a staggering 642 million voters participated, marking the highest number of votes ever cast in a single election globally. Notably, 312 million of these voters were women, underscoring significant female participation in the electoral process.

During a press conference, CEC Kumar emphasized the robustness and integrity of the vote-counting process. “There is no chance of rigging in the counting of votes. It is a very robust process,” he stated. With 1.5 million polling booths across the nation and 30 to 35 lakh polling agents, alongside monitoring teams and officers, the Election Commission has ensured stringent security and transparency measures. The deployment of CCTV systems further enhances the reliability of the vote count, addressing concerns raised by various political parties.

The Lok Sabha election, often described as the world’s largest democratic exercise, involved more than 68,000 monitoring teams and 1.5 million polling and security personnel. This massive logistical effort was bolstered by the participation of 75 observers from 23 countries, who visited numerous polling booths to witness the electoral process firsthand.

CEC Kumar also highlighted the record-breaking seizure of nearly 10,000 crore rupees during this election, almost three times the amount confiscated in 2019. This underscores the Election Commission’s commitment to maintaining the integrity of the electoral process by preventing illicit activities and financial influence.

Addressing the press, Kumar noted the peaceful nature of this year’s elections, a significant improvement from previous years marked by violence. “You remember the kind of violence we used to see. But no such incident happened this year,” he said, mentioning states like Jharkhand, Manipur, Tripura, West Bengal, and Kashmir as examples of peaceful polling environments.

In response to concerns about potential post-election violence, particularly in West Bengal, Kumar expressed confidence in the state’s preparedness. “We are hopeful and confident that there will be no violence,” he assured, mentioning that the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) would be deployed to maintain order if necessary.

The unprecedented voter turnout and the Election Commission’s stringent measures reflect India’s robust democratic framework. As the vote counting commences, the nation and the world watch closely, anticipating the results of this historic electoral exercise.