Despite spike in voter registration with youth taking keen interest, Rural Maharashtra still dominates state political scene

Mumbai: Besides the significant 7.69 lakh increase in voters between recent April-May 2019 Lok Sabha elections to the ensuing Assembly elections in Maharashtra, what is heartening to note is that the Young Voter (First Time Voter) in the age group of 18 to 19 years accounts for 17.75 lakh voters as on August 31, 2019. As per Election Commission of India (ECI) the projected Young Voter population as on the cut-off date of January 1, 2019 is expected to rise by 25.30 lakh to 43.06 lakhs.

But what is more important to note here is that despite the rapid urbanization, Maharashtra politics is still rural dominated. Out of the total 96,654 Polling Stations in Maharashtra, 40,603 (42 percent) are located in Urban areas, whereas 56,051 (58 percent) polling stations are located in Rural Maharashtra, still indicating a strong rural political picture.

The average number of electors assigned to a polling station being 925 voters. Out of the total 96,654 polling stations, 874 polling stations have escalators (lifts) as they are not situated on the ground floor. The total 96,654 polling stations include 1,181 Auxiliary polling stations. As per ECI data there are 87,655 Booth Level Officers (BLOs) in the state.

Significantly, as per ECI data, there are 3.02 lakh voters at present who are identified as Persons with Disabilities (PwD). This was possible after the ECI in the recent Lok Sabha elections had launched a App for PwD voters. Another significant development has been that the Non Resident Indian (NRI) voter population today stands at 5,529 voters.

The total projected population (census 2011, projected to 2019) is 12.43 crore, of which 6.45 crore (52 percent) is male and 5.97 crore (48 percent) female population. Out of the total projected population of 12.43 crore, the registered voter population for the 2019 Assembly elections is 8.94 crore. Of which 4.67 crore (52.7 percent) is male, 4.27 crore is female, 2,593 are Third Gender voters and 1.16 lakh service voters.

As against this in the Lok Sabha elections in April-May this year, the total voter population was 8.86 crore, out of which 4.63 crore (52.2 percent) were male, 4.22 crore female, 2,407 Third Gender voters and 1.12 lakh service voters. Overall since 2013, the total voter population has shown a steady increase – 7.99 crore in 2013, 8.07 crore in 2014, 8.35 crore in 2015. The voter population declined to 8.16 crore in 2016. Thereafter, the voter population has increased to 8.34 crore in 2017 and 8.48 crore in 2018.

Considering the oft repeated complaint of bogus voters, or voters lists being inflated due to names of deceased voters still present, the ECI took the task of cleaning of the electoral rolls recently. In the process, 37,563 multiple entries were identified, verified and removed. Besides this 3,015 cases of Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC) with repeated numbers were identified and removed.

In all 10.73 lakh applicants filled Form 6 for Inclusion of names in the voters list, 1,771 NRIs filled Form 6A, 2.16 lakh Objections were received (Form 7), 2.79 lakh people applied for correction in their names in the voters list, while 38,203 people applied for transposition (Form 8A) from one assembly constituency to another.

Out of the 288 Assembly constituencies in Maharashtra, 234 are general, 29 are reserved for Schedule Caste (SC) and 25 are reserved for Schedule Tribe (ST). Out of the 48 Lok Sabha constituencies, 39 are general, 5 are reserved for SC’s and 4 are reserved for ST’s.

Compared to the 2014 and 2019, Lok Sabha elections, the voter turnout in the 2014 Assembly elections was significantly higher, although the Lok Sabha voter turnout too has increased since 2014. The total voter turnout in the 2014 Assembly elections was 63.08 percent. Whereas, the total voter turnout in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections was 60.32 percent and it marginally rose to 60.79 percent in the just concluded 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

During the recent Lok Sabha elections, 1,872 illegal fire arms were seized, 40,417 people surrendered their fire arms and 1.17 lakh preventive arrests made. Besides this Rs 53.21 crore in cash was seized, Rs 34.11 crore worth liquor was seized, Rs 10.56 crore Narcotics and Drugs were seized and Rs 71.21 crore precious metal (Gold, Silver) was seized. In all Rs 169.18 crore worth items and goods were seized in preventive sections by the ECI in Maharashtra in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.