New Delhi, Mar 16 (IANS): Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar, who announced the schedule for the Lok Sabha elections 2024 on Saturday, said that around 5 to 6 lakh youths are still to be added to the voter list.

"This time, the number of young voters in the Lok Sabha elections is 1.8 crore and this number could increase further. The Election Commission has received forms from 13.4 lakh youths whose age is not yet 18 but they will be eligible to vote by the time of elections," he said.

The Lok Sabha elections will be held in seven phases from April 19 to June 1.

According to the Election Commission, around 5 to 6 lakh youths can be added to the voter list from these 13.4 lakh youths.

The Election Commission has also released figures for voters aged 20 to 29 years, which stands at 19.74 crore. The CEC said that the number of female voters aged 18 to 19 years is 85.3 lakh this time and has consistently increased compared to the previous elections.

Comparing female and male voters, he said that previously there were an average of 928 female voters for every 1,000 male voters but the ratio increased in 2024 and now, the average number of female voters per 1,000 male voters has reached 948. Interestingly, in 12 states and Union Territories, the number of female voters exceeds that of male voters.

The CEC said that celebrities have also been asked to motivate the youth and encourage them to participate in this biggest festival of democracy. He said that this time, the new voters will also be our ambassadors and it is hoped that they will motivate more and more people.