Ghaziabad logs lowest turnout in all 15 bypoll seats: ECI data

The district recorded the lowest voter turnout of 33.3% (till 5pm) among the nine assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh that went to bypolls on Wednesday, according to tentative Election Commission of India (ECI). This was also the lowest turnout among the 15 assembly seats across Kerala, Uttarakhand, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh that held bypolls on the same day, ECI data showed. 
In contrast, Kundarki in Uttar Pradesh reported the highest voter turnout of 57.32%. The other UP constituencies recorded varied turnouts: Sishamau (49.03%), Majhawan (50.41%), Meerapur (57.02%), Khair (46.35%), Phulpur (43.43%), Karhal (53.92%), Katehari (56.69%), and Ghaziabad (33.30%). 
Polling took place across 507 booths in Ghaziabad. Counting is scheduled for November 23, with EVMs stored under tight security at Govindpuram Anaj Mandi. 
According to ECI figures, seats outside Uttar Pradesh witnessed relatively higher turnouts, including Palakkad in Kerala (62.25%), Kedarnath in Uttarakhand (56.78%), and four seats in Punjab: Gidderbaha (78.10%), Dera Baba Nanak (59.8%), Barnala (52.7%), and Chabbewal (48.01%). 
Historical trends in Ghaziabad 
The turnout in Ghaziabad has consistently declined over the years. In 2017, the constituency reported a 53.27% turnout, which dropped to 51.78% in 2022. This year’s bypoll turnout represents a significant decrease despite the presence of 641,644 registered voters. 
The Ghaziabad seat was vacated after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Atul Garg won the Lok Sabha election. Fourteen candidates contested the bypoll, including Sanjeev Sharma (BJP), Singhraj Jatav (Samajwadi Party-SP), and PN Garg (Bahujan Samaj Party-BSP).   
“It is a general trend of low turnout in bypoll and also in assembly elections in Ghaziabad. People here are working class and prefer to go to their offices or enjoy a day off. They know that bypoll isn’t for the formation of government, which is perhaps why they feel less incentivised. Further, it is the responsibility of administration and political parties to build momentum and an environment for elections; otherwise, why are people expected to just show up during bypolls?” said KK Sharma, political analyst and head of history department, CCS University, Meerut.
District officials declined to comment on the reasons behind the low turnout. “It depends on voters. We cannot comment on the reasons behind the low turnout. The voting process was peaceful, and we received no complaints,” said Santosh Kumar, city magistrate and returning officer. 
Political parties cited voter apathy as a major factor, with some alleging discrepancies in the voter list. Faisal Hussain, district president of the Samajwadi Party, said, “In Muslim-dominated areas like Kaila Bhatta, many names were missing from the list, and polling centres were shifted. Despite raising these issues earlier, no action was taken.” 
The BJP undertook aggressive campaigning, with UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath visiting the constituency four times and conducting rallies and roadshows in areas like Vijay Nagar and Pratap Vihar. “The low turnout made the contest interesting. Even in minority-dominated areas, voter participation was low,” said Ashu Verma, BJP assembly convener. 
 The Bahujan Samaj Party also criticised the administration for not taking measures to improve voter turnout. “The low turnout indicates voters’ unwillingness to participate, but our traditional voters came out, thanks to our outreach efforts,” said Dayaram Sain, district president of the BSP. 
“It was a weekday, and many had to commute to Delhi, Noida, and Gurugram for work. Many were not even aware of election day as there was hardly any buildup for elections,” said Namita Sharma, resident of Crossings Republik.