Uttar Pradesh Assembly Bypolls 2024: Voter turnout at 49.3% amidst allegations, tensions between BJP and SP
The state of Uttar Pradesh saw a voter turnout of 49.3% during the assembly bypolls held on November 20, 2024. While by-elections were conducted in nine assembly constituencies, the overall turnout results showed it had depreciated by nearly about 13% compared to the previous polling figures from 2022. In 2022, the same seats received a voter turnout of 62.49%, whereas voting patterns this year reflected decreased participation, hinting at symptoms of voter fatigue and even tensions surrounding the process of the election.
The highest voter turnout in Kundarki occurred, with 57.7%, while Ghaziabad, the most prominent urban seat, showed the lowest at 33.3%. The low turnout in Ghaziabad is indeed considered a worrying trend, especially since it is an urban constituency that usually shows higher participation. In Meerapur, Karhal, and Khair, other constituencies recorded decreases in voter participation.
The by-elections were clouded by the allegations and counter-allegations from both sides-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Samajwadi Party (SP). BJP has accused SP to cause hindrances during the voting process, meanwhile, the leaders of SP accused BJP of irregularities in some instances of identity checking. The BJP demanded the verification of identities of burqa-clad women voters that was strongly opposed by the Samajwadi Party. These allegations prompted the Election Commission of India (ECI) to suspend five election duty police personnel following appeals from both parties.
Despite the increased tensions and some reports of clashes between BJP and SP workers, polling was largely incident free with reports of stone-pelting and minor skirmishes in a few places. Seats like Meerapur (Muzaffarnagar), Ghaziabad, and Kundarki (Moradabad) and some others went to vote in this set of bypolls. Though these by-elections are unlikely to impact the status quo of the ruling government in Uttar Pradesh, the outcome on 23rd November will give the State insight into public opinion.
The BJP has a comfortable majority in the state assembly with 283 seats, while the SP-led alliance called INDIA held just 107 seats. The by-elections are, therefore, important to the BJP party, especially after that ill-fated 2024 Lok Sabha election when the seat count had gone down to 33 from 62 in Uttar Pradesh in 2019.