In the last Lok Sabha polls, 86% of candidates lost deposits

NEW DELHI: Nearly 86% of the 8,026 candidates in the recent Lok Sabha poll forfeited their deposits, according to the statistical report for general election 2019 released by the Election Commission on Friday. The overall polling percentage in the last parliamentary election, including postal ballots, was 67.4%, which is the highest ever turnout in a Lok Sabha poll.

As per the statistical report - which covered 542 parliamentary seats, excluding Vellore where the poll was cancelled - just 587 of the 7,484 defeated candidates held on to their security deposit. BSP lost its election deposit in 345 of the 383 Lok Sabha seats its contested, Congress in 148 of the 421 contested, CPM in 51 of the 69 contested, CPI in 41 of the 49 contested, NCP in 14 of the 34 contested and Trinamool Congress in 20 of the 62 seats contested. BJP, which emerged the winner with 303 seats, lost deposits in 51 seats.

On the final vote share of national parties, the report said BJP polled 37.76% of valid votes, Congress 19.7%, Trinamool 4.11%, BSP 3.67%, CPM 1.77%, NCP 1.4% and CPI 0.59%.


The national turnout among women electors was marginally higher at 67.18% as compared to male electors (67%). The turnout of women voters surpassed the male turnout figures in 17 states/Union Territories, including Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand.

As per the state-wise turnout figures, Lakshadweep recorded the highest turnout at 85.21% across all states and UTs, followed by Nagaland (83%), even though West Bengal was the first among the bigger states with a poll percentage of 81.76%. Jammu and Kashmir recorded the lowest turnout at 44.97% while Bihar and UP clocked 57.35% and 59.21% turnout respectively.

Dhubri in Assam emerged as the constituency with the highest turnout of 90.66% while Anantnag in J&K, where polling was spread over three phases due to security concerns, recorded the lowest turnout of 8.98%. Postal ballots received in the 2019 parliamentary poll totalled around 28 lakh, though only around 22.8 lakh were found to be valid with over 5 lakh rejected.