During the fourth phase of elections on April 29, India’s financial capital, Mumbai recorded its best ever voter turnout in the last three decades. A total of six Lok Sabha constituencies in Mumbai witnessed an average of 55.1% voter turnout during the elections.
Maximum city records highest voter turnout in 30 years
According to The Indian Express, each of the six constituencies of Mumbai breached the 50% mark for the first time since 1989, when it recorded 57.7%. The daily says that pockets which have more Gujarati population were more responsive and voted. Overall, the 17 Lok Sabha constituencies in Maharashtra saw a 57% voter turnout, which is slightly more than in 2014, when the state had registered 55.59% polling.
In seven Lok Sabha polls, held since 1989, the voting percentage had only crossed the 50% mark twice, in 1998 with 50.36% and 2014 with 51% polling. Reportedly, the maximum city’s voter turnout hit an all-time low of 41.6% in 1991 and had remained in the forties except for in 1998. In 2009, the voter turnout reportedly reached a new low with just 41.4%, however, it jumped back up in 2014. However, since 2014, the number of voters in the city has reduced by 2.54 lakh.
Mumbai north constituency with 59.32%, saw the highest voter turnout, where actor Urmila Matondkar of the Congress contested against sitting BJP MP Gopal Shetty. The Mumbai North Central constituency saw a voter turnout of 52.84%, Bandra (West) recorded the lowest among the six constituencies with just 50.01%.
Mumbai South-Central seat saw a turnout of 55.35%, while Mumbai North-East constituency saw a turnout of 56.31%. South Mumbai recorded 52.15% turnout. Meanwhile, Mumbai’s suburbs, Mulund and Ghatkopar East each got 60.10% and 60.30% voter turnout respectively, reported Hindustan Times.
Why was there a surge among voters?
Maharashtra’s Chief Electoral Officer Ashwani Kumar said that this year’s good voter turnout was due to “increased awareness among voters and a clean up of voter rolls.” Reportedly, irrespective of the long weekend and the sweltering heat, the city saw a surge in voters between 11 am to 1 pm. Social media campaigns, propelled by Bollywood bigwigs, showing inked fingers made it seem like not voting is “uncool.”
The elections in Mumbai’s LS constituencies were also polarized as the six constituencies are currently held by just Shiv Sena and the BJP. According to The Times Of India, this might have urged the voters to come out and cast their votes in large numbers irrespective of religion, caste, and sex.
Just as voting is the right of every citizen of the Indian democracy, the onus of practising their franchise lies only upon themselves. As responsible citizens, one ought to go out to voice their opinion by casting their votes. The Logical Indian urges all its readers to go out and cast their votes in the next phases of elections.
Also Read: My Story: “My Name Was On Shifted List & Party Agents Said I Can’t Vote”
