AS THE high-stakes Assembly elections came to an end, Maharashtra recorded a 62.05 per cent voter turnout, the Election Commission of India (ECI) said on Wednesday. The ECI said that simultaneous polling for all 288 seats in Maharashtra concluded peacefully. Despite a range of measures by the Commission for ease of voting, and motivational campaigns, urban voters in the State continued their dismal record of low participation in cities like Mumbai, Pune and Thane. Voting commenced at 7 am on Wednesday and was peaceful and orderly. Bye-polls in 15 ACs and 1 Parliamentary constituency in 15 states were also held on Wednesday. With this, elections have concluded for Maharashtra Legislative Assembly and byepolls in 48 ACs and 2 parliamentary constituencies of 15 states across the two phases.

 

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar along with ECs Gyanesh Kumar and Dr Sukhbir Singh Sandhu had been keeping a close watch on every aspect of the poll process, including measures to enhance poll participation. Meanwhile, 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 than1,185pollingstations were set up in high rise buildings/societies and as per directions from CEC Rajiv Kumar, all basic facilities were provided at polling stations includingbenches forvotersin queue, volunteers and wheelchairs,” it stated. Various awareness andmass mobilisation campaigns were organised ahead of the polls involving film celebrities, and ECI state and national icons, tonudgeurban andyoungvoters.

 

Longqueues of voters comprising people from different sections of society including first-timevoters, elderlyvoters, tribal voters, PwD voters, women voters some bearing children in their arms, voters identifying as third gender, entire families of voters and celebrity voters characterised the atmosphere at polling stations. Assured Minimum Facilities (AMF)including toilets, ramps, shed, and drinking water ensured that voters could vote comfortably without hindrance. Moreover, in Mumbai, celebritiesspurredonvoters to show up at the polling booths and fulfill their responsibilities.Cricketer and ECI National icon Sachin Tendulkar voted along with his family and reiteratedhiscall toothers tocome out and vote. Elderly voters were greeted with a certificate and sapling in certain polling stations in Mumbai. A total of 4136 candidates are contesting for the 288 assembly seats amidst an electorate of over 9.7 crores. Over 74,200 applications were approved for campaignrelated permission on the Suvidha 2.0 app whichincluded 55,700 from Maharashtra. ThecVIGILapp,which enables users toreportMCCviolations saw 24,992 complaints in the ongoing elections, being resolved with a resolution rate of 99 per cent, of which 20,741 were resolved within 100 minutes.

 

 

 

 

ALTOGETHER 53.78 per cent voters exercised their franchise in the Nanded Lok Sabha by-poll till 5 pm on Wednesday, election officials said. There is a direct fight between Ravindra Chavan of Congress and BJP’s Santukrao Hambarde. The by-poll was necessitated due to the death of sitting Congress MP Vasant Chavan on August 26. Ravindra Chavan is his son.