All eyes on areas that usually have low participation
Pune - In the last five years, the number of voters turning up to cast their votes has been steadily decreasing, especially in high-profile areas.
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Since 1992, the voting percent for civic polls has been in the 50%-60% range, with the 2012 elections registering the lowest at 51%. (see box).
The voter turnout in highprofile areas such as Koregaon Park, Baner-Balewadi, NIBM and developing fringe areas like Chandannagar and Wadgaonsheri was especially dismal. This has led to the state election commission asking the civic body to put in extra efforts to ensure more people from these areas vote on polling day.
PMC election officer Satish Kulkarni told TOI that they had put more emphasis on these areas with more banners and even announcements through `ghanta-gadis'. “We are hoping that with these efforts, people from these areas respond and come out to vote,“ Kulkarni said.
Advocate Radhikesh Uttarwar, who has been campaigning for voting with the help of the election officials, said they had tried their best to make the affluent low voter turnout areas aware of the electoral process. “While some areas responded well, others expressed their confusion about the four-ward system. Some others said they were not sure if four people would bring about better governance in the area. However, we have tried our best to explain the process to them and urged them to vote,“ Uttarwar said.
Residents from these areas, especially NIBM, have expressed their desire to vote but are unsure about the candidates contesting. Manjit Singh, a resident from the area, said that while she was aware of some candidates through party pamphlets, she was largely unaware of whom she should vote for.
Activists said that while slums and low-income groups have been politically active, societies from posh areas largely remained aloof.
Co-operative department officials, who helped reach out to the chairman and secretary of many societies, said they have convinced the heads of over 11,000 societies in PMC and about 4,000 in PCMC area to come out and vote.
However, the society members face many issues.While booths have been put up in the club houses of societies, it has been noticed that most members' names were present in other polling booths.
While the voting percentage was slightly above in PCMC areas at 60% in the last five elections, civic officials said that they also focused on areas that usually hesitate to vote.
PCMC election official Yeshwant Mane said that they had focused on areas in Nigdi, Sambhajinagar, Pimple-Saudagar, Pimple-Gurav this year.
Political Research and Analysis Bureau's Chandrakant Bhujbal said that while there are claims of voter awareness programmes, last-minute confusion in sequence in voters names as well as not distributing the voters slips causes inconveniences to voters. He said that these processes must be done earlier so that voters are well aware of the polling booth ahead of the D-day.
The voter turnout in highprofile areas such as Koregaon Park, Baner-Balewadi, NIBM and developing fringe areas like Chandannagar and Wadgaonsheri was especially dismal. This has led to the state election commission asking the civic body to put in extra efforts to ensure more people from these areas vote on polling day.
PMC election officer Satish Kulkarni told TOI that they had put more emphasis on these areas with more banners and even announcements through `ghanta-gadis'. “We are hoping that with these efforts, people from these areas respond and come out to vote,“ Kulkarni said.
Advocate Radhikesh Uttarwar, who has been campaigning for voting with the help of the election officials, said they had tried their best to make the affluent low voter turnout areas aware of the electoral process. “While some areas responded well, others expressed their confusion about the four-ward system. Some others said they were not sure if four people would bring about better governance in the area. However, we have tried our best to explain the process to them and urged them to vote,“ Uttarwar said.
Residents from these areas, especially NIBM, have expressed their desire to vote but are unsure about the candidates contesting. Manjit Singh, a resident from the area, said that while she was aware of some candidates through party pamphlets, she was largely unaware of whom she should vote for.
Activists said that while slums and low-income groups have been politically active, societies from posh areas largely remained aloof.
Co-operative department officials, who helped reach out to the chairman and secretary of many societies, said they have convinced the heads of over 11,000 societies in PMC and about 4,000 in PCMC area to come out and vote.
However, the society members face many issues.While booths have been put up in the club houses of societies, it has been noticed that most members' names were present in other polling booths.
While the voting percentage was slightly above in PCMC areas at 60% in the last five elections, civic officials said that they also focused on areas that usually hesitate to vote.
PCMC election official Yeshwant Mane said that they had focused on areas in Nigdi, Sambhajinagar, Pimple-Saudagar, Pimple-Gurav this year.
Political Research and Analysis Bureau's Chandrakant Bhujbal said that while there are claims of voter awareness programmes, last-minute confusion in sequence in voters names as well as not distributing the voters slips causes inconveniences to voters. He said that these processes must be done earlier so that voters are well aware of the polling booth ahead of the D-day.
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