Aizawl, Apr 19: Continuing a trend seen in the last Lok Sabha elections, Mizoram recorded a low voter turnout on Friday, with only 52.62 per cent of the total 8,56,364 eligible voters casting their votes by 5:00 PM.

During the first phase of the general elections to the Lok Sabha, Mizoram went to the polls on Friday (April 19).

Polling proceeded peacefully across all 1,276 polling stations in the state, according to the state CEO office.

Despite extensive voter awareness campaigns conducted by the election department to encourage greater participation in the Lok Sabha polls, voters in Mizoram appeared hesitant to elect their representative to the single Lok Sabha seat allotted to the state.

Historically, Mizoram has struggled with lower voter turnout during Lok Sabha elections compared to its Assembly counterparts, despite the close timing of the elections. In response, the Election Department has launched proactive initiatives to raise awareness and encourage greater participation in the Lok Sabha polls.

Expressing concern over the potential for low voter turnout, State Chief Electoral Officer Madhup Vyas held a press conference on Friday at noon, urging government employees to exercise their right to vote.

UNI