Thiruvananthapuram, April 13 (IANS) Kerala recorded a robust voter turnout of 79.63 per cent in the crucial April 9 Assembly election, with participation levels nearing the 80 per cent mark, as per the figures released on Monday.

Announcing the figures, Chief Electoral Officer Rathan U. Khelkar said the estimate combines votes cast through Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and postal ballots.

Kerala went to the polls on April 9, and at the end of polling, the figure that was provided was 78.27 per cent.

The figures are based on data submitted by presiding officers, and the final turnout is expected to inch higher when around 53,000 service votes are fully consolidated.

Service voters can get enrolled at their native places even though they may actually be residing at a different place due to their posting.

Khelkar clarified that the release of data was not delayed, noting that only three days were taken to ensure accuracy and proper verification.

Women voters emerged as the standout participants in this election, recording a turnout of 81.19 per cent, significantly higher than the 75.19 per cent among men.

In the transgender category, turnout stood at 56.04 per cent.

Voting among essential service personnel stood at 94.24 per cent, while 96.37 per cent of those deployed on election duty exercised their franchise.

According to earlier figures released by the Election Commission, 1,35,068 officials voted out of approximately 1,45,000 on duty, leaving around 9,932 yet to be fully accounted for.

District-wise data shows that Thiruvananthapuram recorded the highest participation among officials (15,007), while Wayanad reported the lowest (3,298).

These figures pertain to the period between March 31 and April 8.

Responding to criticism from Leader of the Opposition V. D. Satheesan over alleged delays in releasing polling data, Khelkar maintained that the process was entirely transparent.

He said postal ballots were collected in the presence of political party representatives and that booth-level data were available with all parties, leaving no room for ambiguity.

In the state, the record turnout remains at 80.54 per cent in the 1987 polls.

With final figures expected soon, the high polling percentage has triggered both optimism and anxiety across political fronts.

–IANS

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