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To help improve the voting percentage, particularly in urban areas, the Election Commission converted community halls, clubhouses, and open spaces inside housing societies into well-guarded polling stations in many parts of Mumbai
Maharashtra recorded an overall voter turnout of 66.05% on November 20, while Mumbai city recorded 52.65% and the suburbs 56.39%. (Representational image/PTI)
The results of the Maharashtra assembly elections will be out on Saturday following a gruelling contest between the ruling Mahayuti alliance and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi bloc. While the focus is on which side will form the government, a point of interest is also that the polls held on November 20 saw a significant increase in voting percentage.
Maharashtra recorded an overall voter turnout of 66.05%, while Mumbai city recorded 52.65% and the suburbs 56.39%. Observers say the efforts of the state election commission have paid off. While there is room for improvement, the turnout record of 1995 was broken this year by the state. Also, compared to 59.22% in 2019, the number of female voters rose to 65.21% this time, while the turnout for male voters went up from 62.77% to 66.84%.
To help improve the voting percentage, particularly in urban areas, the Election Commission converted community halls, clubhouses, and open spaces inside housing societies into well-guarded polling stations in many parts of Mumbai. Due to this, many voters who usually avoid voting, citing different reasons, could cast their votes in a nearby society or even in their own. Urban areas in Maharashtra, particularly Mumbai, have historically struggled with lower voter turnouts compared to rural regions. Reasons include long commuting distances, busy work schedules, and a general sense of voter apathy. To address these barriers, the Election Commission undertook a comprehensive review of polling booth distribution and identified a lack of proximity to voters as a key issue.
The EC decided to bring polling stations closer to the people, especially in cities like Mumbai, Pune, and Thane. The idea, say observers, was simple yet transformative: set up booths directly within residential societies to eliminate the inconvenience of travel and long queues at centralised polling stations.
Shefali Sadhu, a resident of a colony in Bandra East, told this reporter, “This time many young voters from my colony and nearby societies went to cast their vote as the polling booth was set up in a nearby society. So, they couldn’t give any excuses, like the booth being far from their place. I appreciate such efforts taken by the Election Commission to come up with this kind of initiative. Also, on radio and TV, the ECI ran a good campaign and encouraged people to vote.”
Such an initiative required meticulous planning. The EC collaborated with local government bodies, housing society management committees, and election officials to execute the plan. The selection criteria for residential societies included population density, the number of eligible voters, and accessibility for senior citizens and persons with disabilities.
Each housing society selected for the initiative was equipped with a dedicated polling booth, staffed with trained officials to ensure a smooth voting process. To maintain security, local police were deployed, and society gates were monitored to prevent unauthorised access. Voter privacy was prioritised, with booths designed to meet the EC’s standards. Additionally, these booths were strategically located in societies with higher numbers of registered voters who had shown low participation in previous elections. This targeted approach ensured maximum impact.
The decision to set up 700 voting booths in residential societies proved to be a game changer. Mumbai (overall), which traditionally struggled to cross the 50% turnout mark, recorded average voter participation of 58% in these societies. Some constituencies even reported an 8-10% increase in participation compared to the last assembly elections.
The convenience of voting within one’s residential complex encouraged working professionals, senior citizens, and even first-time voters to cast their ballots. Families, for instance, treated voting as a shared activity, with many first-timers influenced by the enthusiasm around them. Another critical aspect of the initiative was the focus on voter awareness. Residential societies hosted pre-election awareness drives, mock polling sessions, and campaigns to motivate residents to vote. This sense of community engagement created a ripple effect, making voting feel less like an obligation and more like a collective responsibility.
The success of residential society polling booths in Maharashtra has set a new benchmark for urban voter turnout strategies, say observers. This initiative demonstrated how proximity and convenience could significantly enhance democratic participation. As the Election Commission evaluates its performance, the residential society model is likely to be replicated and refined in future elections, both in Maharashtra and across India. The surge in voter turnout this year reflects not only the effectiveness of these efforts but also a growing commitment among citizens to strengthen democracy through active participation.
