Several factors, including lack of experience among a section of polling officials, technical glitches in electronic voting machines, and voter apathy, have been attributed to the drop in polling percentage in Chalakudy and Ernakulam Lok Sabha constituencies, according to an assessment by the key fronts.
The United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Left Democratic Front (LDF) echoed almost similar views on the fall in voter turnout compared to the 2019 General Elections. As per the final figures released by the Election Commission on April 27, Chalakudy recorded a total polling percentage of 71.94% against the 80.4% registered in 2019. In Ernakulam, the final voting percentage was 68.29% against the 73.59% in 2019.
“There was an unusual delay in the voting process in many booths. Several voters had to stand at least one to two hours in the queue to cast their votes in Chalakudy constituency. The lack of experience in handling the voting process was evident among a section of polling officials,” said Mohammed Shiyas, president of the Ernakulam District Congress Committee. “The delay in rectifying the technical glitches in electronic voting machines and the errors in the voter’s list may have reflected in the slight drop in the turnout,” he said.
C.N. Mohanan, Ernakulam district secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), said the appointment of polling officials who lacked prior experience in conducting the voting process resulted in delay at select booths. “Those who left after waiting for long in queues did not come back to cast their votes,” he said.
