Journalism of Courage
Presents
Co-presented by
Associate Sponsor
Premium
BMC polls: Turnout lukewarm in minority-dominated areas, less than 40% in most wards
The lowest among them was ward 224, Dongri, which recorded a turnout of 29.77 per cent till noon, while the highest was in one of the wards of Mankhurd-Govandi at 43.54%.
A woman casts her vote during the BMC election, at the Dharavi Transit Camp Municipal School, in Mumbai on Thursday. (Express photo by Sankhadeep Banerjee)
As Mumbai voted for Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls Thursday, voter turnout in minority Muslim-dominated areas of the city stayed lukewarm till 3:30pm, picking up in the latter half of the day. Most wards recorded a turnout between 35 to 40 per cent, with a few exceptions.
The lowest among them was ward 224, Dongri, which recorded a turnout of 29.77 per cent till noon, while the highest was in one of the wards of Mankhurd-Govandi at 43.54%.
As a whole, Govandi logged an average over 40 per cent turnout, as did Malvani in Malad and Vakola and Kalina in Santacruz East.
Parts of Jogeshwari West had consistently voted under 38 per cent till 3:30 pm, while wards of Kurla had turnouts from as low as 33 per cent to 43 per cent. Byculla polled in around 37 per cent.
“There is plenty of buzz and chatter on the streets about the elections,” said Faiyaz Alam, a voter, adding, “but many could not find their names in the voter list, hence went back without voting.”
Noting that votes were sought in the region on the basis of religion, Alam rued the lack of issues at the forefront of the election. The fight there is largely between AIMIM and the Samajwadi Party, he said, with the Sena factions not putting up much of a fight.
A voter from Malvani, Shabbir Rehman (32) who works as a travel agency in Pune, said that he travelled to Malvani early in the morning to cast his vote.
Story continues below this ad
“From Malvani usually the voting percentages are higher – be it the Parliament elections, Assembly or civic polls. All our family and friends vote together,” Rehman said.
In Mahim’s Cadell Road, near the Dargah, a flurry of voters went out to vote till late afternoon. “Our corporator is the one who we go to for fixing any issues about our surroundings, so we decide who to give the work to based on the work they’ve done,” said an enthusiastic Wasim Qureishi.
Advertisement
Loading Taboola...
Top Stories
Live Blog
Advertisement