CEC Urges Urban Voter Participation Amid Low Turnout Concerns

CEC Rajiv Kumar has highlighted the significantly low voter turnout in urban areas like Colaba and Kalyan, contrasting it with higher participation in Naxalism-affected regions. He urged Maharashtra officials to boost urban voter engagement and ensure equitable voting conditions, while emphasizing vigilance against electoral malpractices.

Concerned by low voter turnout in urban constituencies, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar on Friday drew a stark comparison with regions affected by Naxalism, such as Bastar and Gadchiroli, where voter participation soared to 68 and 78 percent, respectively. He posed a pointed question to Maharashtra officials: "When voters in left-wing extremism-affected regions like Bastar (68%) and Gadchiroli (78%) can vote, why can't Colaba and Kalyan?" Only 40% of Colaba's electorate cast their votes in 2019, a figure Kumar highlighted during a comprehensive review meeting held today.

Sources from Maharashtra's Chief Electoral Office informed ANI that the CEC's meeting saw discussions with District Election Officers, Police Commissioners, Superintendents of Police, Municipal Commissioners, and Returning Officers. Kumar underscored the disparity by citing examples from Jammu & Kashmir, where constituencies like Doda, Reasi, Poonch, and Rajouri achieved over 70% voter turnouts in the latest Assembly elections; Kishtwar district notably achieved a full 100%. He questioned why urban centers in Pune, Thane, and Mumbai couldn't garner similar voter participation.

Drawing attention to voter engagement issues, Kumar pointed out that some upscale Mumbai South constituencies recorded nearly half of voters refraining from voting, a worrying pattern also seen in Gurgaon and Faridabad's high-rise societies during the Haryana polls, where turnout plummeted to 20% even with on-premise polling stations.

In response to these figures, Kumar instructed officials to actively engage voters in urban locales using varied outreach technologies, ensuring polling stations deliver a comfortable voting experience with necessary facilities, such as benches for those in long queues. He emphasized the significance of accessibility and complaint resolution, directing authorities to uphold fairness to all parties and candidates, with strict adherence to Election Commission guidelines.

To safeguard electoral integrity, CEC Kumar mandated heightened scrutiny to prevent voter inducements with cash, alcohol, drugs, or incentives, and instructed meticulous monitoring of government vehicles, including ambulances, to preclude misuse for distributing cash and valuables during the election period.

(With inputs from agencies.)