'ECI remains keenly focussed on enhancing voter turn out'

New Delhi [India], May 3 (ANI): The Election Commission of India (ECI) has doubled up its voter participation interventions to overcome the small drop in turnout in the first two phases of Lok Sabha polls.
The turnout so far has been 66.14 per cent in phase 1 and 66.71 per cent in phase 2, according to an official statement from the ECI released on Friday.
"The turnout of voters continues to remain at the centre of ECI's election management efforts," the poll body said.
It added that the ECI remains committed to taking up all interventions possible to boost voter turnout in next 5 phases. Commission led by CEC Rajiv Kumar, EC Gyanesh Kumar and EC Sukhbir Singh Sandhu is leading a set of additional initiatives for this purpose with Chief Electoral Officers and senior officers at Nirvachan Sadan.
"Following the dip in turnout in phase 1, the Commission had directed state CEOs of Maharashtra, Bihar, UP and Rajasthan and Karnataka to come up with an additional set of plans to enhance voter turnout. The Commission also held one to one interaction with DEOs of low turnout districts (based on 2019 figures) in phases 3 and 4 to identify ways for enhancing turnout," it added.
It further added that ECI already held meeting with top IMD experts, and health and disaster management agencies to consider the impact of heatwave on the election process, especially voters' turnout during phase 3.
"As per the empirical evidence provided by IMD, there is no major concern with regard to heat wave for phase 3 of the General Elections scheduled on May 7, 2024. The weather forecast situation is predicted to be normal in the 11 States/UTs going for polls in Phase 3," it said.
The Commission attaches due importance to the timely release of voter turnout figures after each phase of the polls and thanked various partners and collaborators for their initiatives and efforts towards voter awareness and enhanced participation, it added.
The poll body said it has launched its biggest-ever voter awareness and outreach drive for enhanced participation in the general elections 2024.
A comprehensive 360-degree multimedia campaign is underway with the theme "Chunav ka Parv, Desh ka Garv," the poll body said. (ANI)