Lucknow: Vote early, don’t let the sizzler be dampener today

LUCKNOW: As the stage is set for the much-awaited round five electoral battle, try to cast your vote as early as possible to excape sweltering weather conditions on Monday. In case you are late, it is advisable to take precautions as mercury is expected to cross the 40-degree Celsius mark during peak hours from 2 to 4pm.

After two days of relief, hot conditions were back on Sunday, with maximum temperature settling at 40.4 degrees Celsius, a notch above normal. However, minimum temperature was 23 degrees Celsius, a degree below normal. Sweltering heat and dry hot winds kept people indoors during afternoon.
State Met officials said the temperatures were down for the past two days because of change in wind pattern due to cyclone Fani. Moisture-laden easterlies were dominating for the past two days, but dry and hot northwesterly winds are now back, they said. Similar conditions are expected on Monday, with maximum and minimum temperatures hovering around 41 and 22 degrees Celsius respectively.
A comparison of temperatures and polling percentage of last three elections shows that hot weather affected turnout in 2004 and 2009 but people defied heat wave in 2014.
In 2004 Lok Sabha elections, polling was on May 5 when the maximum temperature was 40.1 degrees Celsius and polling percentage 35.42%. In 2009, polling took place on April 30 when mercury touched 44 degrees Celsius and turnout was 35.33%. In 2014, polling date was April 30 and maximum temperature settled at 43 degrees Celsius, but this time 53.06% voters came out to exercise their right to franchise.