Voters stood in hottest May in 36 years to elect their MPs to Lok Sabha

Indians participated in the biggest electoral excercise by standing in long queues in May which has been considered as the hotest in 36 years, reported ToI using data from India Meteorological Department (IMD). Last phase of marathon voting saw nearly 33 polling staff dying from heatstroke in just one state.

The two months of voting, April and May, recorded maximum temperatures and broke records across multiple stations. The average maximum April temperature this year across India was 35.6°C. This was higher than those observed in the election years of 2004 (35°C), 2009 (35.5°C) and 2014 (35.3°C), but slightly lower than the record 35.7°C observed in 2019.

“During early summer (March to April), regions like Maharashtra, Gujarat and southern peninsular areas experience higher temperatures because the sun’s position is more directly overhead, providing intense solar radiation as it moves northward," said Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, the director general of meteorology at IMD. The official further noted that by late summer (May to June), the sun was nearly directly over northern India, causing these regions to heat up significantly.


The poll panel had taken extensive measures to ensure the safety of voters.

Hot weather influenced voter turnout
“High temperatures are a big factor in influencing voter turnout, as seen this time, causing a dip. Electors in the upper-middle class to middle class categories often tend to skip voting during extreme temperature conditions, whether heat or cold. Many parts of the country recorded over 40-45°C during April as well as in May. However, there are other factors that may have had a role to play too," reported ToI quoting Political analyst Vivek Singh Bagri.

The average maximum temperature this May was 37.3°C, the hottest since May 1988, when the average maximum temperature was 37.4°C. IMD data shows many stations broke past records in May.

On May 31, Alwar reported 46.5°C, its fourth-highest temperature. The same day, Bilaspur logged 46.8°C, its fifth-highest May maximum ever, while Bulandshahr saw 46°C, its second-highest May maximum ever.

Even the hill station Dehradun experienced 43.2°C recently, its third-highest May maximum temperature on record, as per IMD.

The hot weather which was seen in southern India later shifted to the North.

Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, the director general of meteorology at IMD, explained: “During early summer (March to April), regions like Maharashtra, Gujarat and southern peninsular areas experience higher temperatures because the sun’s position is more directly overhead, providing intense solar radiation as it moves northward. By late summer (May to June), the sun is nearly directly over northern India, causing these regions to heat up significantly.”

(with TOI inputs)