Despite widespread claims of anti-incumbency against the ruling BJP, the voter turnout in Haryana Assembly elections has reached around 67.90%, approaching the 68.20% turnout from the 2019 polls. The Election Commission of India (ECI) released the approximate figures on Sunday, reflecting a strong voter presence, particularly in rural constituencies, while urban areas lagged behind.
According to the ECI data, Ellenabad constituency represented by lone Indian National Lok Dal MLA Abhay Chautala saw the highest voter turnout of 80.61%, followed by Loharu, represented by Haryana’s Cabinet Minister JP Dalal, 79.66%. Other constituencies that reported a high voter engagement include Sadharua (78.65%), Jagadhari (78.34%), Ellenabad (78%), and Hathin (77.87%).
Constituencies like Dabwali (77.92%), Tohana (77%), Narnaund (76.30%), and Adampur (75.47%) also recorded a robust voter presence. These figures show that many rural areas witnessed a turnout of above 75%, indicating strong competition in the state’s key battlegrounds.
On the other hand, urban constituencies registered notably lower turnouts, with eight major urban areas reporting that over 40% of eligible voters did not cast their votes. Badkhal saw the lowest voter turnout at 48.25%, followed by 51.50% in Gurgaon, 52% in Tigaon, 53% in Faridabad, and 53.10% in Ballabgarh. Other low-performing constituencies included Karnal (56.37%), Sonipat (57.67%), Panchkula (59.37%), and Rohtak (59.96%). The contrast between high rural and low urban voter turnout has sparked concern among candidates and political analysts. Notably, several constituencies with prominent political figures saw mixed results. Besides, Ladwa, the constituency of Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, Uchana Kalan, the seat of Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala, Julana, being contested by Olympian-turned-politician Vinesh Phogat, and Narnaund, home to BJP’s Captain Abhimanyu and Rania of former minister Ranjit Chautala, all witnessed tough contests with voter turnouts around 75%. Election observers have suggested that the higher voter engagement in these key constituencies indicates the likelihood of intense political battles, with several predicting a tough competition as the main reason behind the elevated turnout.
The current voter turnout closely mirrors the 2019 Haryana Assembly election figures, despite the anticipated anti-incumbency wave. However, it still falls short of the state’s record turnout of 76.54% set in the 2014 elections, which saw the BJP secure a historic victory, winning 47 seats and forming the government without any alliance.
The Congress, which had governed the state previously, ended third, securing only 15 seats, while INLD won 19 seats in a fiercely contested election.