lucknow almost 22 per cent more than the last time

lucknow did it this time. Braving 43 degree Celsius heat the people stood in their queue, waiting for their turn to exercise their right of franchise. The result was positive and the state capital clocked 57 per cent polling by the end of the day – almost 22 per cent more than the last time and it is the best in last 25 years.

In 2009 lucknow faced the ignominy of being one least polled the parliamentary constituencies where just 35.35 per cent people cast their votes.  Hue and cry was raised as being the state capital lucknow has failed to live up to the expectations of the people. This time people’s participation has helped lucknow to wash its old sin.

lucknow has a poor track record of polling. In 1989 lucknow registered just 28.9 per cent votes. In 1991 when Atal Bihari Vajpayee won for the first time 32.23 per cent voters used their right of franchise. This percentage rose to 50.78 per cent in 1996 and two years later in 1998 almost 50 per cent voters cast their votes.  In 1999 general election the turnout was 48.57 per cent. The percentage dropped to 35.28 per cent in 2004 and it was almost the same in 2009 general election.

 “This time we can say that lucknow has passed with flying colours. Is it distinction marks or first division, I leave it you to decide,” Chief Electoral officer, Umesh Sinha said.The polling in lucknow witnessed a gradual trend and it changed with the rising sun. In the first two hours of start of polling between 7 and 9 am lucknow polled just 9.3 per cent votes. This was the time when the morning walkers went to cast their votes. The next two hours witnessed increase in flow of voters and by 11 am over 23.5 per cent voters had inked finger. The increase was almost 14 per cent in two hours.

With the rise in temperature polling slowed down and in the next two hours, up to 1 pm, the polling percentage was 34.10 per cent. This was almost neck and neck to what lucknow polled last time in 2009 lok Sabha elections.  By 3 pm the polling percentage increased to 46.4 per cent  while the next two hours witnessed just  5 per cent polling and at 5 pm the polling percentage was 51.6 per cent.

“We knew that the temperature might play a spoil sport so we had increased the polling timing by an hour. In 2009 elections the polling was up to 5 pm but this time the polling time was between 7 am and 6 pm. This extra hour too has helped people to avoid scorching sun,” an official said.

This lucknow has broken a old belief that urban areas poll less than the rural areas. In 2009 when lucknow polled 36 per cent neighboring Mohanlalganj’s polling percentage was around 47 per cent. This time lucknow and Mohanlalganj clocked almost same percentage. Till 5 pm when lucknow’s polling percentage was 56.2 per cent, lucknow had polled 51.6 per cent.