Voter turnout fails to cross 50% mark; Oppn parties complain slow voting, EVM malfunction, power failures

The BJP reacted to Thackeray’s statement with Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis claiming that the opposition was making these accusations knowing that defeat was looming.

Not a single constituency crossed the 50% mark on Monday. Mumbai South seat with 44.63% recorded lowest voter turnout while Mumbai North West recorded the highest voting at 49.79%. In 2019, the financial capital of India had recorded over 55% voting.

While voting was largely peaceful, all six Lok Sabha constituencies of Mumbai witnessed numerous complaints of EVM malfunction, power outage and queues of voters moving at snail’s speed.

Throughout the day, several complaints were raised across Mumbai by candidates of opposition Shiv Sena-UBT and Congress. Shiv Sena-UBT candidate from Mumbai North East Sanjay Dina Patil said all areas which are considered as his strongholds, including Bhandup, Vikroli and Mankhurd faced the problems with EVM malfunction and power outage, which delayed the polling process. “EVM problems were recorded at over 17 locations and two places witnessed power problems. All these areas are where I stand in a better position than other candidates,” Patil said.

Mumbai Congress chief and party’s Mumbai North Central candidate Varsha Gaikwad voiced identical grievances. “Getting concerning reports from across Mumbai of citizens waiting for several hours in the queue to vote in the heat due to slow voting process and only then being able to vote or returning frustrated without voting. Many of them say they have never waited this long to vote before. There are also complaints that this phenomenon is more visible in areas where INDIA-MVA has a strong presence,” she said on social media site X.
SS-UBT leader and MLC Sachin Ahir said despite several complaints, no action was taken. “We experienced this in Worli as well and submitted a complaint asking for extra time,” he said.

VOTING TURNOUT IN MUMBAI OVER THE YEARS

Mumbai Congress chief and party’s Mumbai North Central candidate Varsha Gaikwad voiced identical grievances.

In Colaba, Shiv Sena-UBT and BJP workers faced each other on the road after local BJP MLA Rahul Narvekar visited the area to inspect the polling process. He left the scene amid sloganeering.

Maharashtra’s Additional Chief Electoral Officer Kiran Kulkarni said the Election Commission guidelines are extremely clear about the polling and every person who is in queue by 6 PM will get a chance to vote. “We appeal to voters to ensure that they stand in queue before 6 PM. No matter how late the process goes, every voter will get a chance to vote,” he said.

Maharashtra’s fifth and last phase saw 13 LS seats going for polls on Monday. As per the provisional data from the Election Commission, the state recorded 48.88% voting. Dindori (ST) in north Maharashtra recorded the highest polling at 57.06% while Kalyan from where Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s son and incumbent LS MP Shrikant Shinde is contesting registered the lowest poll percentage at 41.70%.