On the eve of vote counting, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar announced that India achieved the highest voter turnout globally during the Lok Sabha elections, underscoring the remarkable nature of Indian elections.
A Standing Ovation by Commission to all voters especially Women Voters who participated enthusiastically in the elections, during the presser today. #ECI #GeneralElections2024 pic.twitter.com/9VH1MWQr9v
— Election Commission of India (@ECISVEEP) June 3, 2024
In a press conference on Monday, CEC Rajiv Kumar celebrated this achievement with a standing ovation for all participating voters. “We have created a world record of 642 million voters,” Kumar stated, noting that this figure surpasses the combined voter counts of the G7 countries by 1.5 times and the 27 European Union (EU) countries by 2.5 times. He expressed gratitude to everyone involved, calling the Indian elections a “miracle” without parallel in the world.
Press Conference by Election Commission of India https://t.co/UjtUdjvJ9b
— Election Commission of India (@ECISVEEP) June 3, 2024
Highlighting the inclusivity of the elections, Kumar revealed that 312 million women voted in the 2024 General Elections, which is 1.25 times the number of women voters in the EU’s last national elections. “The commitment to inclusive elections is evident in these figures,” Kumar noted.
#WATCH | Lok Sabha elections 2024 | CEC Rajiv Kumar says, “…We failed to understand the fake narratives that were going on during the elections. But we have understood it now.” pic.twitter.com/j5nN3Mqj4L
— ANI (@ANI) June 3, 2024
Kumar also praised the contributions of voters aged 85 and above, calling them “the heroes of our democracy” who have witnessed India’s journey since before independence and helped shape the nation over the past 70 years.
The meticulous work of election personnel resulted in significantly fewer repolls, with only 39 repolls in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections compared to 540 in 2019. Of these, 25 occurred in just two states. Kumar extended special thanks to the people of Jammu and Kashmir, where voter turnout was the highest in four decades.
#WATCH | Ahead of Lok Sabha elections counting, CEC Rajiv Kumar says, “Postal ballot counting will start first. After only half an hour, we will start EVM counting. There is no doubt about it.” pic.twitter.com/oG3RHOIb4l
— ANI (@ANI) June 3, 2024
The election’s scale and integrity attracted the largest-ever global delegation of 75 observers from 23 countries. These observers were impressed by India’s electoral process, which tackled issues like muscle power, money influence, misinformation, and violations of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).
Kumar highlighted the non-violent nature of this election, a testament to two years of meticulous preparation. A record seizure of nearly Rs 10,000 crores, almost three times the amount seized in 2019, underscored the election body’s efforts to ensure transparency and fairness. Local teams were empowered to effectively perform their duties, contributing to this success.
#WATCH | CEC Rajiv Kumar says, “We will very soon start the process of Assembly elections in Jammu & Kashmir.” pic.twitter.com/flbxxr1ffx
— ANI (@ANI) June 3, 2024
Detailing the counting process, Kumar assured that the procedure is “absolutely robust” and functions with clock-like precision. The press conference was also attended by Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu.
#WATCH | On Congress leader Jairam Ramesh’s allegations that Union HM called DMs/ROs (Returning Officers), CEC Rajiv Kumar says, “…Can someone influence them (DMs/ROs) all? Tell us who did this. We will punish the person who did it…It is not right that you spread a rumour and… pic.twitter.com/iejNzcZQ2G
— ANI (@ANI) June 3, 2024
As votes are set to be counted on June 4, exit polls predict a substantial victory for the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The exit polls suggest that the ruling party at the Centre could achieve a “hat-trick” win, potentially reaching the ambitious “400 paar” goal set by BJP leaders during the campaign. The Lok Sabha elections were conducted in seven phases starting from April 19, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi leading the BJP campaign.
#WATCH | Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar gives details about the counting process to be followed to declare the results of Lok Sabha elections on June 4, he says, “The entire counting process is absolutely robust. It works similar to the precision of a clock.” pic.twitter.com/uDVrx2ttg6
— ANI (@ANI) June 3, 2024
The results of these historic elections will be announced soon, marking a significant moment in India’s democratic process.
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