ECI Releases World's Largest Electoral Dataset For 2024 Elections: Key Highlights

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has released the "world's largest electoral dataset," providing comprehensive insights into the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and state assembly elections.

The dataset includes 42 detailed reports on the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and 14 reports on the assembly elections in four states, as reported by Hindustan Times. The initiative aims to promote transparency, enhance research, and foster trust in India's electoral system.

What's Included in the Massive Dataset?

The newly released dataset covers a wide array of electoral data, including constituency-wise electors, polling station information, voter turnout, gender-based voting patterns, and more. It also offers party-wise vote shares, trends in regional voting, candidate performance, and detailed analysis of winning candidates, as reported by Hindustan Times.. This initiative is expected to provide valuable insights for academics, researchers, and election observers around the world.

Key Highlights from the 2024 Lok Sabha Election Reports:

Rise in Registered Voters: The number of registered electors in the 2024 elections reached 97.97 crore, marking a 7.43% increase from 91.19 crore in 2019. Out of these, 64.64 crore votes were cast, an increase from 61.4 crore in 2019, with 64.21 crore votes cast via EVMs and 42.81 lakh through postal ballots.

Record Voter Turnout: Dhubri in Assam recorded the highest voter turnout at 92.3%, while Srinagar in Jammu & Kashmir saw the lowest at 38.7%, though this was a significant improvement from 14.4% in 2019. Eleven parliamentary constituencies had a turnout below 50%.

Polling Stations and Voter Participation: There were 10,52,664 polling stations across India, an increase from 10,37,848 in 2019. Repolling was conducted at only 40 stations, down from 540 in 2019. Uttar Pradesh had the highest number of polling stations, with 1,62,069, while Lakshadweep had the fewest with just 55.

Women's Participation Soars: The 2024 elections saw a significant boost in female voter participation. Of the 97.97 crore registered electors, 47.63 crore were women, comprising 48.62% of the total electors. Female voter turnout was 65.78%, surpassing male turnout at 65.55%. Dhubri (Assam) had the highest female turnout at 92.17%, followed by Tamluk in West Bengal at 87.57%.

Increased Representation of Women Candidates: A total of 800 women contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, up from 726 in 2019. Maharashtra had the highest number of female candidates, with 111, followed by Uttar Pradesh (80) and Tamil Nadu (77). However, 152 constituencies still had no female candidates.

Third-Gender and PwD Voter Growth: The number of registered third-gender electors saw a 23.5% increase, rising to 48,324 from 39,075 in 2019. Voter turnout among transgender individuals nearly doubled, reaching 27.09%, compared to 14.64% in 2019. Additionally, the number of registered Persons with Disabilities (PwD) electors grew from 61.67 lakh in 2019 to 90.28 lakh in 2024.

Surge in Overseas Voter Registration: The number of overseas electors increased to 1,19,374, comprising 1,06,411 males, 12,950 females, and 13 third-gender electors. This is up from 99,844 overseas electors in 2019.

Independent Candidates' Performance: Among the total 12,459 nominations, 8,360 qualified as contesting candidates. Independent candidates numbered 3,921, with only seven securing seats, while 3,905 forfeited their deposits. Surat in Gujarat was the only constituency that went uncontested.

Conclusion

The Election Commission of India's release of this extensive electoral dataset is a significant step toward enhancing transparency and enabling a deeper understanding of India's electoral landscape, as per media reports. With detailed reports on voter participation, polling trends, and party performances, the dataset serves as an invaluable resource for stakeholders, researchers, and analysts. This data not only sheds light on the changing dynamics of India's elections but also promises to be a useful tool for long-term analysis of political and electoral trends.