Voting percentage or voter turnout in Odisha increased in the 2024 elections as compared to the 2019 elections, informed the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Nikunja Dhal.
Addressing a presser on Monday, the CEO said, "The overall turnout, (excluding postal ballots) in 2019 was recorded at 73.09 per cent while the polling per cent in 2024 was 74.44 per cent.”
He also stated that the percentage of male voters was 73.37 while it was 75.55 per cent in the case of female voters in 2024.
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“As compared to the 2019 elections, 16 Parliamentary constituencies in Odisha have recorded an increase in voter turnout rate (VTR) in the 2024 elections. However, the VTR has decreased in five parliamentary seats. There is a marginal reduction in VTR in the Bhadrak and Berhampur Parliamentary constituencies. It is less than half per cent. The VTR fall in the Kendrapara and Mayurbhanj LS seats is a little more than 1 per cent,” he added.
Moreover, the CEO said that the Aska constituency has recorded the highest reduction in VTR, which is approximately 3 per cent. The VTR was 65.73 in 2019 while it was 62.67 per cent in 2024.
As for the vote counting tomorrow, the CEO said, “Over 2.5 crore votes will be counted tomorrow. Counting will be held in 70 counting centres. At 69 counting centres, both EVM and postal ballots will be counted. Only postal ballots of Berhampur and Aska will be done at a centre in Chhatrapur. So far, we have received 1.47 lakh postal ballots for the Lok Sabha and 1.46 lakh in the case for Assembly polls.”
Over 30 rounds of counting will be held in 8 Assembly segments while less than 30 rounds will be held in the remaining seats. The total number of tables for counting for LS seats is 3089 while it is 1799 for the Assembly seats, he informed.
He also added that the Election Commission of India (ECI) has appointed 125 election observers in the state.