Elections 2014: A season of change

The much awaited and interesting Indian Elections 2014 finally came to an end with the Phase 9 elections that took place today. The elections that began on April 7^th finally came to an end with today’s final phase voting in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal. This election season witnessed a demand of change, with more and more people taking initiatives to spread a word for voting in large numbers. And indeed, the awareness and propagations have worked and Elections 2014 has seen a high voter turn-out. The youth of our country who usually enjoy on a holiday, moved to the polling booths and casted their votes. Other Indian residents too showed an active cooperation during this election season.

Speaking about today’s 9^th Phase voting in detail: it was going to decide the fortune of three key leaders Narendra Modi, Arvind Kejriwal and Mulayam Singh Yadav. The elections today began in a very passive manner but this passiveness in the atmosphere was soon disturbed by the violence that was reported from West Bengal and Kolkata.

Reports came in from West Bengal about a clash that broke between TMC workers and CPI(M) workers in the morning. Several workers from both the parties were injured by the knife attacks. Security officials were immediately informed about this incident and they rushed to the spot to prevent any more complications. A firing was also reported during this clash where in 4 people have reportedly been injured. Both the parties blamed each other for the violence.

From Northern Kolkata another horrifying incident was reported earlier this noon where in a BJP worker claimed that a crude bomb was hurled in front of her house. This incident happened at Barabazaar area of Kolkata.

Shifting our focus to Varanasi now: Varanasi has been a crucial constituency this election. Here today, Congress Candidate Ajay Rai entered the polling booth with Congress Party Symbol attached on his dress. An FIR was then lodged against Ajay Rai for violating the model code of conduct. Let’s not forget that an FIR was also filed against Narendra Modi after he took a selfie outside his polling booth after having casted his vote in Gujarat. Later speaking to NDTV Ajay Rai said that he had worn the party symbol unknowingly and that he dint flash symbol like others.

In a violent incident reported from Gopalgunj district of Bihar, a JD(U) MLA slapped a voter. An arrest warrant was issued against AmarendraPandey also known as PappuPnadey who slapped this voter. The injured voter was taken to a hospital where he given necessary treatment.

Speaking about the voters performance in this crucial 9^th Phase, till 5pm this evening, West Bengal recorded a high voter turn-out which was 77.41% while 53.82% voters turned out in Bihar. In Azamgarh of Uttar Pradesh 52% voters had turned out till 5pm. Varanasi from where AAP’s Arvind Kejriwal and BJP’s Prime Ministerial Candidate Narendra Modi are contesting elections recorded 51% voting till 5pm.

Statistics of Voters turn out this election, available with the Wikipedia states that in the first phase of the Elections, Assam recorded 75% voters turn out while it was 84% in Tripura.

In the Phase 2 of the elections, 82.5% voters turned out in Nagaland, 71% in Arunachal Pradesh, 66% in Meghalaya, 70% in Manipur and 60% in Mizoram.

In the Phase 3, turnout was 76% in Kerala, 64% in Delhi, 55.98% in Madhya Pradesh, 54.13% in Maharashtra, 65% in Uttar Pradesh and 66.29% in Jammu.

Phase 4 of the elections recorded 75% voters in Goa, 75% in Assam too, 81.8% in Tipura and 76% in Sikkim.

In the 5^th Phase, The voting turnout in Uttar Pradesh was 62%, West Bengal was 80%, over 70% in Odisha, 69% in Jammu and Kashmir, 54% in Madhya Pradesh and 62% in Jharkhand. Manipur had 74% and Maharashtra had a 61.7% turnout. In Karnataka, the average voting was 65% as against 58% in the previous elections, though urban voters were lower. In Chhattisgarh, the voter turnout was 63.44% compared to 57.6% in 2009, while Rajasthan recorded a 63.25% voter turnout.

6^th Phase of the elections saw, 73% voters turnout in Tamil Nadu, while West Bengal experienced the highest voter turnout for the day at 82%. Financial Capital Mumbai witnessed a low voter’s turnout of 53% but this was better as compared to the 2009 Lok Shabha Elections. Maharashtra’s rural places saw over 60% turnout, Madhya Pradesh had 64%, Uttar Pradesh had over 60%, Chhattisgarh had about 66%, Assam had over 70%, Bihar has about 60%, Jharkhand had 63.4%, Rajasthan had about 60% and Pudhucherry had about 82%.

In the 7^th Phase of election: Punjab set a new record in its voter turnout for general elections with 73%. Gujarat saw the highest jump in voter turnout for the day with 62% turnout. The nine constituencies in West Bengal reported over 81% turnout. Uttar Pradesh witnessed 57% turnout compared to 48% in 2009, while Bihar saw 60% compared to 52% in 2009. One of six constituencies from Jammu and Kashmir, eligible to vote in this phase, had the lowest turnout for the day at 26% compared to 25.55% in 2009, after a boycott call by separatists. Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh, which will become India’s new state on 2 June 2014, saw nearly 72% turnout to elect LokSabha members as well as its first state government. The aggregate turnout so far in the first 7 phases for 438 parliamentary seats has been 66.20%, significantly more than 57.41% figure in 2009 general elections.

The 8^th Phase West Bengal recorded 81% polling compared to 78% for 2009. Andhra Pradesh recorded nearly 76% voter turnout. Himachal Pradesh saw about 66% turnout compared to 58% for 2009. Uttarakhand also set a new voter turnout record with 62% compared to 53% in 2009. The 2 constituencies of Jammu & Kashmir that voted witnessed a 49.9% turnout while constituencies of Bihar saw 58% compared to 45% in 2009. Uttar Pradesh experienced a 55.5% turnout compared to 43.4% in 2009.

This election season, as I said earlier has marked a remarkable voter’s turn out as compared to the previous one. We often say that these days people aren’t interested into the political affairs of the country, don’t we? Yes, they may not be but they do care for the country and its future and that’s what has got highlighted by the voter’s turn out. Democracy is of the people, for the people and by the people. Therefore only when people come out and cast their precious votes, the future of India can be set. And yes this time voters have been out in large numbers! Each and every voter must pat their back for it!

Well, today is 12^th May and the elections result will be out on the 16^thof May. Three more days left to know which party is forming its government. The ‘D’ day is soon to arrive and all the eyes are set to welcome it. Being Indian citizens, all that we can do, at the moment is, hope that the coming government, of whichever party it will be, should work for the benefits of the citizens of India. We won’t rule out possibility of which party may win but we wish that whichever party wins the elections must work for the benefits of the people and for the progress of our beloved country.

• About the Author

About Suyash Karangutkar

Suyash Karangutkar is a young, dedicated and an enthusiastic journalist who has a deep interest in National and International Affairs. He is an ardent political spectator who finds politics fascinating. At Spectralhues, he heads the Mumbai team and covers National Affairs & Politics. He also occasionally writes columns for Spectralhues. He can be followed on Twitter @columnistsuyash