Maharashtra polls: CEC expresses concern over low voter turnout in urban areas

Mumbai: Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar voiced his apprehension regarding the low voter turnout in several urban constituencies, including Colaba, Pune, and Thane, during a press conference on Monday.
Colaba, represented by Legislative Speaker Rahul Narwekar, is a diverse constituency comprising high-rise buildings, defence colonies, and slum areas. Kumar emphasised that the voting percentages in Gurugram, Faridabad, Bengaluru South, Colaba, Pune, and Thane were significantly below the national average.
“We have appealed to people to come and vote in large numbers,” Kumar stated. He announced plans to convene a meeting with municipal commissioners and district election officers to address this issue and explore potential solutions within the Election Commission’s purview.
Sources indicate that in Mumbai, Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, who also serves as the district election officer, will be tasked with spearheading a campaign to boost voter participation in Colaba.
Kumar expressed concern over the overall voting trends, noting that Colaba assembly constituency had a turnout of merely 40 per cent. He further revealed that 62 assembly constituencies had voting percentages below the state average.
The Election Commission acknowledged the presence of “urban apathy” in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) and pledged to take all necessary measures to counter this trend.
Contrasting the low urban turnout, Kumar highlighted the impressive participation in some rural areas. “Doda had a voting percentage of 72 per cent, Reasi 74 per cent, while Rajouri saw 75 per cent voting. If they can achieve over 70 per cent turnout, Colaba can surely reach above 40 per cent,” he remarked.
To address this disparity, Kumar announced plans for special drives in slum areas and urban colonies aimed at increasing voter participation. The Election Commission is determined to tackle the issue of low urban turnout and ensure a more representative democratic process across all regions.