The turnout of over 77% recorded by the Dr R.K. Nagar assembly constituency on Thursday marked the all-time high for the constituency since it was formed in 1977.
The previous high was 74.59% in June 2015, incidentally, during a byelection. Then, former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa was one of the contestants and she won from the constituency for the first time.
The day’s turnout was in tune with the State’s tradition of byelections registering heavy polling. A perusal of the data on voter turnout in the last five years reveals that ordinarily, at least 70% of electors cast their votes. Only once did the tally dip below the 70% mark and this happened in Alandur, on the southern outskirts of Chennai, in April 2014, when the election was held along with the Lok Sabha general elections.
After the creation of the constituency in 1977, it was during the 2006 elections that R. K. Nagar crossed the 70% for the first time. Till then, the turnout ranged from 45.17% (in 1977) to 67.59% (in 1989). Two elections to the constituency in 1991 and 1996 saw a turnout of around 56% on both the occasions. In 2001, the figure did not even cross 50%, stopping at just about 47%. Five years later, voters turned up in large numbers and the tally rose to more than 70%.
Reasons cited
Commenting on the turnout this time, representatives of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) said it was all on expected lines, as the constituency was known for such a turnout.
T.G. Venkatesh Babu, North Chennai Member of Parliament who managed the election work for the AIADMK, says the predominant presence of the “downtrodden and lower middle class” in the constituency was a major factor for the trend.
S. Sudharsanam, secretary of the North Chennai district unit of the DMK, says the “favourable verdict” in the 2G spectrum allocation case, pronounced earlier in the day in New Delhi, might have compelled not only all his party supporters but also “neutral voters” to cast their votes.
Arun Krishnamurthy, psephologist, feels that voters of the constituency were “always eager” to participate in the poll process. Besides, “political changes” in the State during the last one year and the cancellation of the process earlier this year likely paved the way for the record turnout.
