Bypoll: Rural turnout higher

A voter,Shekar Gogate of Wadgaon Dhairi,who cast his vote at Shivsagar polling booth in the city said when he reached the polling centre,there was no rush. “I could complete the voting process in 10 minutes flat,’’ said Gogate. Rajan Antony of Bavdhan said there was a crowd in the morning at Bavdhan PMC school,but there was a lull in the afternoon.

“There were hardly anyone at the polling station and I could finish the process quickly,’’ he said.

One of the reasons why many people did not come out to vote was,as usual,the attitude of voters to make the most of voting day as a holiday,particularly as the festive mood of Diwali is in the air. They took off on short trips outside the city. “I decided to plan a small trip ahead of Diwali vacations with family,’’ said a voter who did not want to be named.

Many others just stayed back home.

There were 287 polling stations in the city area and 89 in rural areas. Rural areas comprise about 30 per cent of the electorate and include Gore,Ambi,Malkhed,Kirkitwadi,Donje,Gogalwadi and Khed-Shivapur.

Most of the voters in rural areas cast their vote late in the afternoon.

In the morning hours,when Umesh Patil,a resident of Dhayari village,emerged after voting at Vastad Pokale School,near Dhayari Phata, he said,“I thought there would be a long queue. When I reached the booth,there was hardly anyone.”

There was heavy police presence at polling stations identified as sensitive. People were not allowed to gather inside any polling station. Volunteers of political parties helping voters to find their names on the voting list were also kept at a distance from polling centres.

Frequent visits by police squads made sure nothing untoward happened. There was only a slight confusion about the designated voting centres. That was resolved soon.

“I had not been intimated of my voting centre. I had to go from one polling booth to another because of the confusion,” said Subhas Mire,19,a resident of Wadgaon Dhairi.

At Sanas Vidyalaya at Dhayari Phata that had 8 polling centres and Vastad Pokale School near Laygude Mala that had 10,micro-observers and videographers kept a close watch on the proceedings.

In villages like Dhayari Gaon,Ganesh Nagar,Kirkatwadi,police and the election staff were seen in large numbers in the morning hours.

At Nandoshi village also the polling pattern was the same. “It is the same since morning,” said Ambadas Timgire,farmer and resident of Nandoshi early in the afternoon.