'India created world record with 64.2 crore voters in 2024 Lok Sabha elections': CEC Rajiv Kumar; hails historic participation of women

India created a world record with 64.2 crore voters, including 31.2 crore women, participating in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar said on June 3. 

Addressing a press briefing, he said over 68,000 monitoring teams and 1.5 crore polling and security personnel were involved in the world’s largest electoral exercise. 

“India created a world record with 64.2 crore voters, including 31.2 crore women, participating in the Lok Sabha elections this year,” said Kumar.  

"This is 1.5 times of the voters of all G7 countries - US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Canada.. all put together. We are comparing voters and not electors and it is 2.5 times of the voters of 27 counties in the EU. That has been the incredible power of the voters of India. There are 312 million proud women voters. This is also the highest ever in the world. It is larger than the 2019 elections.. both the total and the women voters. We must cherish this,” he added.

The Chief Election Commissioner highlighted that seizures of Rs 10,000 crore, including cash, freebies, drugs and liquor were made during the 2024 polls compared to Rs 3,500 crore in 2019. 

Talking about Model Code of Conduct (MCC) violations, the CEC said the agency took too suo-moto cognigence twice.

"Over 90 percent of 495 of the major complaints we received.. we conveyed it to everybody through press notes giving details of what happened. I will show you what didn’t happen. There was no distribution of cash, liquor, or machines. There was nothing like this this time. We didn’t see what didn’t happen but noticed what did. There were no banners no disturbance in the rallies. It was very peaceful. It was another paradigm shift this time, he said.  

Over 90 percent of 495 complaints of MCC violations were disposed of during the 2024 general elections, said Kumar. 

The commission issued notices to top leaders, and FIRs were filed against many and top officials transferred to sanitise the poll process. 

“Earlier, every development work used to stop during MCC. However, this time, we applied the principle that whatever should work should work,” said Kumar, adding the EC gave permission within 48 hours of applications in 95-98 percent of the projects. 

“We have by and large controlled menace of deep fakes, AI-generated synthetic content in 2024 general elections,” Kumar said shedding light on EC's efforts to combat the menace of AI in the elections. 

Ahead of counting for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the CEC added that all issues raised by multi-party delegations have been addressed. 

"Postal ballot counting will start first. After only half an hour, we will start EVM counting. There is no doubt about it," Kumar said.

The CEC also dispelled rumors and questions being raised over the entire election process ahead of the counting day on June 4.

“I want to say a few things with full responsibility and firmness. There is a very robust system for counting and other election process. The counting process is codified. There can be no problem with the system. Human error can be done by anyone. We will deal with that,” said Kumar.

Replying to a question on Congress leader Jairam Ramesh’s allegations that Union Home Minister Amit Shah called DMs/ROs (Returning Officers), CEC Rajiv Kumar said, “...Can someone influence them (DMs/ROs) all? Tell us who did this. We will punish the person who did it...It is not right that you spread a rumour and doubt everyone.” 

CEC Rajiv Kumar said, "...We failed to understand the fake narratives that were going on during the elections. But we have understood it now."