Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], April 24 : Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) Spokesperson TKS Elangovan said that the increase in voter turnout percentage in Tamil Nadu should be understood in the context of changes in the total number of registered voters following Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Speaking toon Thursday, Elangovan said, "In 2021, before SIR, the total number of votes polled was 4.63 crore. Post SIR in this election, the total number of votes polled is around 4 crore 82 lakhs. So, around 19 lakh votes have only increased...There is not much difference..."
He added that the increase in turnout percentage does not necessarily indicate a drastic change in voter participation when viewed in absolute numbers.
DMK spokesperson Saravanan Annadurai also said that the higher voter percentage in Tamil Nadu is linked to the reduction in the number of voters after the SIR exercise.
"The percentage is higher because the denominator has come down. This is elementary mathematics. You have brought the number of voters down by introducing SIR. Now you're saying, 'Wow, look at this poll percentage!' That is not something unprecedented, nor is this something which is out of the way, as some claim. Whoever tracks numbers, especially with regard to an election, they are very clear that this is a normal thing," he said.
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu witnessed strong voter participation across districts, with several regions recording high turnout figures. Karur led the state with 89.32 per cent, followed by Salem at 88.02 per cent, Erode at 87.59 per cent, Dharmapuri at 87.28 per cent, and Tiruppur at 86.33 per cent. Ariyalur recorded 83.09 per cent, Tiruchirappalli 82.76 per cent, and Chennai 81.34 per cent, indicating strong participation in urban and semi-urban regions. Madurai and Thoothukudi recorded 77.89 per cent and 77.56 per cent, respectively,
According to the Election Commission of India, overall voter turnout in Tamil Nadu stood at 82.24 per cent by 5 pm on Thursday, with polling for all 234 Assembly constituencies concluding at 6 pm.
The counting of votes will take place on May 4.
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