Kunnathunadu records highest turnout, 80.99%

KOCHI: Kunnathunadu assembly constituency, where corporate-backed Twenty20 is taking on LDF, UDF and NDA in its debut assembly polls, witnessed the highest voter turnout of 80.99 per cent among the 14 assembly seats in Ernakulam district on Tuesday.The overall voting percentage in Ernakulam district as per official figures released at 8.45 pm stood at 74.14 per cent which was less compared to 79.71 per cent recorded in 2016 assembly polls.

Though brisk voting took place till afternoon in all 14 constituencies, it gradually slowed down towards the evening recording a fall in voting percentage compared to 2016 polls.While 81.14 per cent of males cast votes in 2016 polls, it fell to 76.53 per cent this assembly polls. Also the female voting percentage which stood at 78.34 per cent in 2016 polls fell to 71.85 per cent on Tuesday.Ernakulam assembly constituency recorded the least voting percentage of 65.91, while it was 71.6 per cent in 2016.

Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR) chairman D Dhanuraj said generally an urban centre like Ernakulam registers low voter turnout compared to rural areas. “Most people might have been on  vacation mode due to Easter holidays and have gone out of station. Covid fear is also another reason that might have forced many to stay away from voting,” he said adding that the fall in voting percentage should not be considered a factor for victory by any particular front because of the simple fact that the number of electorate has gone up in the last five years compared to 2016.

At the polling booth in Salvation Army Community Hall at Kunnathunadu which has the least number of 13 voters in the entire district, only six voters cast their votes. A total of 5,062 voters from the Absent, Shifted, Dead/Deleted (ASD) list prepared by Election Commission cast their votes in the district.