What initially looked like a low voter turnout due to intermittent rains during the day, the lull in the rains and a late surge in voting helped Maharashtra record a voting percentage of 60.46 percent (estimated) by 6 pm on Monday in the assembly elections to 288 assembly and the Satara Lok Sabha bypolls, according to the tentative voting figures released by the Election Commission of India (ECI). In Satara Lok Sabha by-election the voting percentage recorded here was 64.25 percent.
Polling was held for the 288 Assembly constituencies and by-election for the lone Satara Lok Sabha constituency on Monday, October 21. Counting of votes will be taken up on October 24 and results will be declared on the same day.
In 2014 assembly elections the final voting percentage was 63.13 percent and in 2009 it was 59.5 percent. Out of the total electorate of 8,97,22,019 crore, 5,42,43,974 voters exercised their right to vote.
Kolhapur district which was recently ravaged by floods recorded the highest voting percentage of 73.62 percent. Mumbai City district has earned the dubious distinction of recording the lowest voting percentage of 48.63 percent, while Thane district recorded the second lowest voting percentage of 47.91 percent and Mumbai Suburban district recorded the lowest voting percentage of 51.17 percent. Another district that was ravaged by floods, Sangli recorded a voting percentage of 66.63 percent.
Giving details of the polling today, ECI’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Maharashtra, Baldev Singh disclosed that the highest voting percentage was recorded in five assembly seats of Western Maharashtra. Here the highest voting percentage was recorded in Radhanagri 75.59 percent (2014 – 76.76 percent), Kagal 80.13 percent (82.50 percent in 2014), Karvir 83.20 percent (84.05 percent in 2014), Shahuwadi 80.19 percent (78 percent in 2014) and Shirala 76.78 percent (78.87 percent in 2014).
While the lowest voting percentage was recorded in the following constituencies – Kalyan West – 41.93 percent (44.92 percent in 2014), Ambernath (SC) – 42.43 percent (39.71 percent in 2014), Ulhasnagar – 41.20 percent (38.22 percent), Versova – 42.66 percent (41.59 percent in 2014), Colaba – 40.20 percent (46.20 percent in 2014) and Pune Cantonment (SC) – 42.68 percent (47.19 percent in 2014)
Singh disclosed that for the first time as a pilot project Bar coding was used in Kasba Peth assembly constituency. For the sake of Divyang voters and senior citizens 5,435 polling booths in buildings were shifted to ground floor. Considering the overnight heavy downpour and water logging a polling booth in Karad North assembly constituency had to be shifted to another place. Despite water logging in Osmanabad, Latur, Jalna, Parbhani and Satara, the polling parties were provided with alternate modes of transport to reach the polling station on time.
Three polling personnel that included one police officer, one constable and one teacher died while on poll duty in Aheri (ST), Thane and Karvir assembly constituencies. Considering the threat of possible naxal attacks, polling time was restricted between 7 am to 3 pm in Arjuni-Morgaon, Amgaon, Armori, Gadchiroli and Aheri (ST). During the poll period the ECI with the help of Income Tax and State Excise department seized Rs 67.52 crore in cash, Rs 54.50 crore worth gold, liquor worth Rs 23.21 crore and Rs 20.75 crore worth drugs. The full and final authenticated polling percentage figures will be known only on October 22, Tuesday.
