Elections
How many polling stations does it take to conduct India's elections?
Summary
- The number of India’s polling stations has risen steadily over the years with the figure hitting the one million mark in the 2019 election, from just over 200,000 in the 1960s
In the latest of our election data series, we look at the math of India’s polling stations. Ever wondered how the polling stations you visit to cast that precious vote, evolved since independence?
The number of polling stations has risen steadily over the years, with the figure hitting the one-million mark for the first time in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from just over 200,000 polling stations in the 1960s. The rise has been in tandem with India’s rising population.
Over 206,000 stations were added in the decade between 2009 and 2019, shows Election Commission of India data. The average number of electors registered per polling station has fallen from over 1,000 per polling station in the 1960s to 879 in 2019, thereby relatively easing the burden shouldered by an average station.
Polling station data for 2024 is not readily available just yet. Nonetheless, a state-wise peek into data from previous elections shows that polling stations in Kerala, Bihar and Rajasthan were ‘most stressed’, i.e. shouldering the highest number of registered voters per polling station, in 2019. The north-east states were among the least stressed. The 1,137 polling stations in Deoria in Uttar Pradesh were the most burdened with an average of 1,543 electors registered to vote in each in the 2019 polls.
Also Read: The voting patterns of India’s biggest cities: What data shows
It must be noted that the analysis is based on the number of registered electors, and the actual burden would vary by actual voter turnout.
In India, government/semi-government buildings like schools, colleges and community centres are often designated as polling stations. Between 2014 and 2019, the number of polling booths registered rose 12%, growth in 2019 outpacing the 9.3% growth in India number of registered electors (912 million), i.e. people registered to vote.
Also Read: What data says about India’s reluctant electors
Nonetheless, most states have seen their polling stations becoming less crowded over the years. An analysis of change between 2004 and 2019 shows that except for Delhi, Himachal Pradesh and Kerala, all states have seen their average electors drop.
Over the years and moving ahead with times, these voting vanguards have seen novel changes—from the introduction of ‘pink booths’ – the all-women managed polling station, to even selfie points at some booths. Yet some pain points remain such as making polling stations – and our voting process-- accessible for persons with disabilities.
