The Lok Sabha elections so far show that voter turnout has risen on an average by 10%. A high turnout is usually indicative of a negative vote against the incumbent and a verdict in favour of the main challenger. But that is not always the case. A high turnout in the assembly elections since 2003 did not in most cases lead to the ouster of former governments. The Lok Sabha polls so far may suggest that first time voters have made their presence felt. Besides, in many urban constituencies a large number of ghost voters have been deleted from the list resulting in a high turnout. In the rest of the world, voter turnout has gone down. It seems that only Indians remain committed to the democratic electoral process. The voter turnout has risen from 47.5% in 1947 to 60% today and it may be higher in this election. What is true of Lok Sabha elections is also true of assembly and panchayat elections. It is particularly significant that the socially and economically backward in the country show greater interest in casting their vote. The urban and affluent electorate is relatively apathetic.
In India, civil society agitations are getting enmeshed with democratic politics. Take the anti-corruption movement led by Anna Hazare. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) originated from the movement and is in the electoral fray. In areas pock-marked by insurgency, elections have become a means of airing discontent. What is highly intriguing is the news that a sizeable population of NRIs in Southall in London have strongly demanded that they also be allowed to vote in the Indian parliamentary elections. Elections in the country are no longer merely a bid to grab power. They could not have otherwise aroused so much interest in the common man.
