An average voter turnout of 54.29 per cent was recorded till late evening on Monday in 13 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra in the fifth and final phase of elections in the state as Bollywood actors, corporate leaders and prominent politicians came out to exercise their franchise, as per poll officials.
Of the 13 constituencies, the highest turnout was in Dindori in Nashik district at 62.66 per cent, while the lowest was in Kalyan in Thane district at 47.08 per cent. Palghar recorded 61.18 per cent polling, Nashik 57.1 per cent and Dhule 56.61 per cent.
Thane
The voter turnout in Thane reached 49.81 per cent by late evening — a marginal dip from the 2019 figure of 50.03 per cent. While voting in the majority of the constituency was peaceful, there were complaints of malfunctioning EVMs and power disruptions.
Long queues were reported in areas like Mumbra, Naupada, and Kalwa. In Naupada, an EVM remained closed for nearly an hour, prompting demands from the Shinde-led Sena candidate Naresh Mhaske to extend the polling booth’s time limit.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) urged Thane’s election officials to extend voting hours due to widespread EVM issues and power disruptions. NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad alleged rampant bogus voting, attributing it to the Chief Minister’s influence.
He claimed witnessing bogus voting at his own polling station, accusing the government of deliberately slowing down EVMs in Mumbra to suppress voter turnout. Awhad criticised the electoral process, stating, “If officials slow down machines, then cancel the elections.”
Meanwhile, a voter at St. John’s School reported encountering bogus voting when he found his name already marked as voted. Despite presenting valid identification, he resorted to tender voting, unsure if his vote would be counted.
Bhiwandi
The Bhiwandi Lok Sabha constituency, with 27 candidates including ex-BJP MP Kapil Patil, saw a 56.41 per cent voter turnout by late evening, but not without significant challenges regarding the voter’s list.
Missing names from the voter’s list and the absence of fans in polling booths increased the discomfort even as the scorching temperature exceeded 40 degrees Celsius.
Nearly 1,000 voters found their names missing, a consequence partly attributed to Bhiwandi’s sizable migrant community.
Locked homes during the visits of polling staff also led to voters being marked absent or relocated, resulting in their exclusion from the list. Despite awareness campaigns, negligence led to further omissions.
Bhiwandi boasts a population of 20 lakh, comprising over 11 lakh male voters, 9 lakh female voters and 339 transgender voters. In the previous Lok Sabha election, the turnout stood at 53.06 per cent.
The Bhiwandi seat encompasses six assembly seats, each reporting varying turnout percentages: Bhiwandi East 48.6 per cent; Bhiwandi Rural 65 per cent; Bhiwandi West 53.72 per cent; Kalyan West 50 per cent; Murbad 59.2 per cent and Shahapur 63.57 per cent.
To attract voters, Bhiwandi Rural’s Sarang Zilla Parishad School showcased Agri Koli fishing community culture, while Shahapur featured an Adivasi life photo exhibition at 123 polling booths. First-time voters were greeted with tulsi plants, and there were also special polling booths staffed entirely by women.
Kalyan
Kalyan witnessed a voter turnout of 47.08 per cent, a slight increase from last year’s 45.31 per cent. In the morning, voters flocked to polling centres across Kalyan constituency, with queues forming early to beat the heat. Long lines, comprising women, the elderly and young voters, were evident outside Prakash Vidyalaya in Gograswadi.
Concerned about the heat’s impact on voter turnout, the Election Commission erected large tents at several locations, including one resembling a wedding ground at Chandrakant Patkar Vidyalaya in Dombivli (East), accommodating over 500 people.
Despite these efforts, only 36.55 per cent of voters had turned out by 3 pm, attributed to technical glitches delaying voting at some booths, like the one at Manjunath School in Dombivli East.
Residents like 70-year-old Iravati Yadav of Gomati Society expressed frustration at having to travel to distant polling centres, despite one being nearby. Meanwhile, the Election Commission aimed to ease the process for voters, particularly seniors and those with disabilities, by providing necessary arrangements at polling stations.
To encourage participation, selfie points were set up outside each centre, attracting many youngsters and families.
with PTI inputs
