India now has voters who number more than the population of Europe. In the last eight months, the number of voters in India grew by about 2 crore taking the total number of electorates to 83 crore. And in the next five years, these numbers are set to cross the 85-crore mark.
Chief Election Commissioner HS Brahma said on Tuesday that India now “has nearly 83 crore voters as on January 5.” There were 81 crore voters during the 2014 lok Sabha elections held in April-May last year.
“The total number of voters is more than the population of Europe,” Brahma said. In January last year, EC had said over 81 crore people were expected to exercise their franchise in the lok Sabha polls, which include at least four crore first-time voters in the youth category. In the 2014 lok Sabha polls, the number of electors eligible to cast their vote went up by around 10 crore from those who were eligible to vote in the 2009 general elections.
Addressing a gathering here to launch a voters’ festival ahead of National Voters Day on January 25, Brahma pointed out that in the first lok Sabha polls held in 1951, India had 17.32 crore voters. January 25 is observed as National Voters Day to mark the establishment of Election Commission in 1950.
According to Election Commission guidelines on enrolment of voters, for an election to be held in a particular year, only an individual who has attained the age of 18 years as on January 1 of that year is eligible to be enrolled in the voters’ list.
Brahma said the February 7 Delhi Assembly polls are important as they are the first elections to be held in 2015.
“Since Delhi Assembly polls are the only electoral exercise taking place, the eyes of the entire world are focused on it. Delhi is the Capital of India. Ruling Delhi has a separate meaning...It is a big challenge (for EC),” the CEC said. He said it is the duty of the voters to elect good candidates who produce a better vision.