Is heat becoming a villain?
Former Chief Election Commissioner of Election Commission O.P. Rawat says that heat may not be the main reason behind low voting, but it can definitely be a reason. After many years there has been such intense heat in the month of April. This seems to be making some difference. Yashwant Deshmukh, founder-editor of C-Voter, says that at least I do not consider the decrease in voting due to heat as a major reason. If this had happened then the voting percentage would have been higher in the morning and evening, which has not been visible in the trend yet. Then in such a situation, heat alone cannot be said to be a major reason behind low voting. There may be some other reasons behind this, which will have to be analyzed.
Impact of holding voting on weekend and Monday
Voting day for the first and second phases of the elections being held in seven phases was Friday. Similarly, voting for the fourth phase will be held on Monday, 5th on Monday, sixth and 7th phase on Saturday. Only for the third phase the voting day has been kept for Tuesday. In such a situation, people say that by keeping the voting day on weekend and Monday, many voters go out for holidays. Especially in metro city. Therefore, voting was less in the first two phases. If the Election Commission had kept the voting days on Wednesday and Thursday, perhaps voter turnout would have increased. But expert Deshmukh says that it may make some difference, but not completely. Till now, in the elections held for the two phases, there have been no reports from anywhere that bookings have been full at any hill station or other places.
Is voter apathy becoming a major reason?
Is the increasing apathy among voters the reason behind low turnout? In this some voters do not want to vote. So there are some voters who feel that the victory or defeat of the party or the candidate is certain. In such a situation, he is not going out to vote. In this matter, experts say that this seems to be one of the reasons behind low voting. However, this is yet to be analyzed. But the reason behind low voting seems to be apathy among voters towards voting. Especially in big states, where for some time now leaders have changed parties and at other places parachuter candidates have come forward. This also caused apathy among the voters. Something similar seems to be happening in Maharashtra, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and other states.
Is there any fear of setting in EVM?
Clarifying on this matter, an Election Commission official said that earlier also Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar had clearly stated in this matter that the process of voting through EVMs is absolutely safe. There is no mistake anywhere in this. Recently, the Supreme Court in one of its decisions had rejected the petition for matching of EVMs and VVPATs and said that no such evidence has been given by the petitioner. There may have been a vote matching mismatch between EVM and VVPAT. In such a situation, Election Commission officials say that if any voter does not want to go out to cast his vote due to the fear that there might be some kind of fault in the EVM, then it is only their illusion. Voting with EVM is absolutely safe. Trust this. Officials say that there are still five phases of elections left. Let us see the trend of voting in this. If it is less in all, then only its detailed analysis will reveal the reasons for low turnout.