A woman walks out with her baby after casting her vote at a school in Kochi.
| Photo Credit: THULASI KAKKAT
The Ernakulam Lok Sabha Constituency recorded a slight fall in voter turnout when compared to the 2019 elections as polling figures stood at 67.91% at 8 p.m.
The 2019 general elections saw 73.59% of voters in the constituency exercising their democratic rights. The inclement weather might have played spoilsport forcing a section of voters to stay indoors. However, ignoring the scorching heat, a majority of voters arrived at polling booths and waited patiently for hours to cast votes. First-time voters, mostly accompanied by their parents, enthusiastically participated in the democratic process from the early hours of the day.
A large number of voters chose to go to polling stations in the morning hours to avoid being out in the sun during the noon hours when temperature peaked. This resulted in the formation of long serpentine queues outside most polling booths during the first few hours of the day. The election turned out to be a peaceful affair in the constituency with no major untoward incidents being reported. Male voters enthusiastically participated in polling as 69.99% of voters exercised franchise. Around 65 of women and 26.66% of transgenders voted on the day.
The Paravur Assembly segment recorded the highest voter turnout among the seven constituencies in the Ernakulam Parliament constituency as 72.09% of voters reached the booths on Friday. Vypeen, the coastal constituency, came second (70.86%) followed by Kalamassery (70.27%). Ernakulam recorded the lowest as only 62.22% of voters came out to vote. In Kochi, 65.87% of voters exercised franchise. The polling figures may change when the final list is drawn up, as indicated by the district authorities.
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