Kerala final voting figures after 53,984 service voters are added, says poll chief

Kerala's Chief Electoral Officer defends the timing of the assembly election data release, countering allegations of delay from political parties and emphasising transparency in the electoral process.

Kerala Chief Electoral Officer Ratan U Kelkar on Monday said voter turnout in the April 9 assembly elections stood at 79.63 per cent, while rejecting allegations by the CPI-M and the Congress that there was a delay in releasing detailed polling data.

Addressing a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram, Kelkar said the 79.63 per cent turnout was based on available figures, including EVM votes, postal ballots and home voting, but excluding service votes.

He said this is the provisional voting percentage for the assembly polls, and revisions may still occur once service votes are added.

The CEO clarified that 78.27 per cent of polling was recorded at polling stations by voters who turned up in person, while the overall figure includes postal ballots finalised recently.

According to the data, a total of 2,12,43,942 voters exercised their franchise in the state, comprising 1,13,03,410 women, 99,40,379 men and 153 transgender persons.

Kelkar said 53,984 service voters remain to be accounted for, and the final turnout percentage will be known only after their inclusion during counting.

The Election Commission will publish the final figures in its index card within 48 hours of counting, he added.

CEO's Response to Criticism

Dismissing criticism over the timing of data release, Kelkar said there was no undue delay and that the Commission had acted with "maximum possible speed" while ensuring transparency.

He said the collection and validation of 3.78 lakh postal ballots across 140 constituencies was a massive exercise and normally takes a minimum of three days after polling day.

"Preparation of postal ballot data took three days, and all procedures were carried out transparently. Form 17C has been provided to all polling agents, and the data has been shared with political parties," he said.

He also said constituency-wise polling figures, excluding postal ballots, have already been released.

"There was no delay. Every procedure was completed in a transparent and time-bound manner. All processes, including the opening of strong rooms and sealing of EVMs, were conducted in the presence of representatives of political parties," he said.

Kelkar also rejected allegations that polling staff deployed on election duty were unable to cast their votes in several places due to a lack of proper arrangements.

"Opportunities were ensured for all eligible voters to exercise their franchise. Everything was done in a time-bound manner. If anyone still has complaints, they may seek legal recourse," he added.

Political Reactions and Demands

The CEO's clarification comes amid criticism from both the CPI-M and the Congress over the delay in publishing detailed polling data.

Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan, in a letter to the Election Commission, urged it to immediately release constituency-wise polling data, vote percentages and postal ballot statistics, saying the delay affected transparency and public trust.

CPI-M leader and state minister V Sivankutty also termed the delay "unusual" and called for the prompt publication of the final tally, including EVM data, service votes, postal ballots and home voting.

As per Election Commission data, Kunnamangalam constituency recorded the highest voter turnout at 84.83 per cent, while Ranni recorded the lowest at 68.99 per cent in the recent Assembly polls, the results of which will be declared on May 4.