Lucknow. The Lok Sabha election journey that started from the western region of the state has started panting in terms of voting percentage by the time it reached the sixth stage. The enthusiasm that the voters showed in the first phase was not seen in the seats related to Purvanchal.

The 14 seats in the sixth phase recorded the lowest voting and a drop of up to seven percent was observed in the voting from the first to the sixth phases. In the first phase of elections in West Uttar Pradesh, the highest number of votes at 61.11 percent were cast whereas in the sixth phase only 54.04 percent voting took place. In the sixth phase, Uttar Pradesh could not even come close to the national average in any phase of elections. In the 67 seats in the state, the highest number of votes at 67.20 percent were cast in Barabanki and the lowest at 48.91 percent were cast in Phulpur.

What is the reason for the decline in voting? 

The reason for the decline in voting is being attributed to the apathy of voters and the heat. Migration is also higher in Purvanchal as compared to the West. Due to the lack of weddings in May-June, the number of people returning to this region has also decreased. SK Dwivedi, former head of the Department of Political Science, Lucknow University, says that many people from Purvanchal live outside for employment and unless there is a major reason, they do not return.

This time the interference of mafias in the elections is also very less, due to this also the people under their influence have remained neutral. Let us tell you that in all the phases in the state, there has been a decrease in voting as compared to 2019. The gap was also seen from two to 11 percent (phase wise) relative to the national average. In the year 2019, 67 percent people across the country exercised their franchise while the average figure of Uttar Pradesh was 59.21 percent. The Election Commission's effort was to bridge this gap in 2024. After six phases of voting, this hope seems to be dying.

The seventh phase will decide whether the voting percentage of the state has reached the level of the last election or not. The top five Lok Sabha seats in terms of better voting percentage were Barabanki (67.20 percent), Kheri (64.68 percent), Amroha (64.58 percent), Dhaurahra (64.54 percent) and Jhansi (63.86 percent). Whereas, the five Lok Sabha constituencies with the lowest voting percentage were Phulpur (48.91 percent), Mathura (49.41 percent), Ghaziabad (49.88 percent), Pratapgarh (51.60 percent) and Gonda (51.62 percent).

What was the phase-wise voting percentage in Uttar Pradesh

Phase - 2019 - 2024 - Reduction

First - 66.42 - 61.11 - 5.31

Second - 62.18 - 55.19 - 6.99

3rd - 59.79 - 57.55 - 2.24

4th - 58.75 - 58.22 - 0.53

Fifth - 58.38 - 58.02 - 0.36

6th - 54.49 - 54.04 - 0.45

Position relative to national average

STAGE - NATIONAL - UP - REDUCE

First phase - 66.14 - 61.11 - 5.03

Second phase - 66.71 - 55.19 - 11.52

Third phase - 65.68 - 57.55 - 8.13

Fourth stage - 66.95 - 58.22 - 8.73

Fifth - 60.09 - 58.02 - 2.07

Sixth - 61.20 - 54.04 - 7.16