Dismal record continues: EC on low Maha turnout

The Election Commission on Wednesday lamented that despite a range of measures taken by it for ease of voting besides motivational campaigns, urban voters in Maharashtra continued their "dismal record" of low participation in cities including Mumbai, Pune and Thane.

Polling for assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand concluded on Wednesday with the former recording 58.22 percent voter turnout as of 5 PM and the latter 67.59 percent, surpassing the 67.04 percent voting in the corresponding assembly seats in 2019.

Maharashtra with 58.22 percent polling is likely to cross the 2019 figures as voting still underway in the state, EC said.

While Maharashtra had assembly polls in a single phase, Jharkhand had polls in two phases.

The poll watchdog said special emphasis was placed on combating urban apathy owing to the trend of low voter turnout witnessed in urban centres in Maharashtra in past state and parliamentary elections.

More than 1,185 polling stations were set up in high rise buildings and societies and various awareness and mass mobilisation campaigns were organised ahead of the polls involving film celebrities, EC's state and national icons, to nudge urban and young voters.

Urban apathy is a phenomenon where voters in urban areas, especially youths, prefer to stay at home and do not turn up at polling stations on voting day.