https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/lok-sabha-elections-voter-turnout-9286009/
The voter turnout in Phase 1 of the 18th Lok Sabha Election was at 65.5 per cent, 4 per cent lower than that of 2019.
Are people unwilling to vote? And if they are, is it due to an inevitable electoral outcome or the toothlessness of electoral instruments to usher in a better life and livelihood? The latter is serious as it raises questions on the effectiveness of electoral democracy for development by delivering public goods and services.
A relationship between voter turnout and human development would help us reflect on voters’ urge to vote. The Subnational Human Development Index (SHDI) prepared by Global Data Lab represents UNDP’s official Human Development Index (HDI) at the sub-national level. It is an index comprising life expectancy at birth, schooling (average and expected years) and standard of living (per capita Gross National Income). The latest available SHDI of 2021 illustrates that while India’s average value is 0.633, it ranges from 0.571 in Bihar to 0.752 in Kerala.
A comparison of the SHDI in 2021 with the percentage of constituencies having high voter turnout (more than 65 per cent) in the 2019 Lok Sabha election across states shows no relationship. The relationship between the percentage of votes polled in 2014 and the SHDI of 2021 was also very low, showing no long-term impact. It raises a serious question on the effectiveness of electoral democracy in improving people’s welfare in the country.
by Indranil De
23/04/2024