Lower Voter Turnout in Mumbai Amid Hot Weather and Polling Delays

Mumbai saw a voter turnout of 52.27 percent in the general elections on Monday, a decrease from the 2019 figures. The hot weather and complaints of delays at polling stations were factors contributing to the lower turnout. Mumbai South, home to many industrialists and high-ranking officials, recorded the lowest participation with 47.7 percent. In the previous 2019 elections, the overall turnout for Mumbai’s six Lok Sabha constituencies was 55.38 percent.

Detailed Polling Percentages Across Constituencies

According to the Election Commission, the specific turnout rates for Mumbai’s constituencies on Monday were as follows: Mumbai North had 55.21 percent, Mumbai North Central 51.42 percent, Mumbai North East 53.75 percent, Mumbai North West 53.67 percent, Mumbai South 47.70 percent, and Mumbai South Central 51.88 percent.

Voter Frustration and Allegations of Deliberate Delays

There were widespread complaints from voters about long wait times, leading some to leave without voting. Uddhav Thackeray, leader of the Sena (UBT), accused the Election Commission of intentionally slowing down the process. At several polling stations, voters reported waiting over an hour to cast their ballots. 

A senior citizen in Goregaon East described his experience: “I arrived around noon and had to wait for nearly an hour and a half. It took much longer than in 2019.” Thackeray expressed concerns over the Election Commission’s handling of the process, suggesting it was biased. At a Malad polling center, Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha member Priyanka Chaturvedi highlighted that nearly 2,000 voters were assigned to a single booth and recommended using two EVMs to speed up the process. She accused the EC of discouraging voter participation by causing delays.

Issues Faced by Voters

Varsha Gaikwad, the Congress candidate for Mumbai North Central, noted that many voters complained about insufficient facilities at polling stations. The heat and long queues tested their patience, with some voters leaving without voting. The high humidity and a peak temperature of 35 degrees Celsius added to the discomfort.

Key Contests and Notable Voters

In Mumbai North, Union Minister Piyush Goyal faced Bhushan Patil of Congress. In Mumbai North East, Sanjay Dina Patil of Shiv Sena (UBT) contested against BJP’s Mihir Kotecha. Advocate Ujjwal Nikam of BJP was up against Congress’s Varsha Gaikwad in Mumbai North Central. Amol Kirtikar of Shiv Sena (UBT) contended with Ravindra Waikar of Shiv Sena in Mumbai North West. In Mumbai South Central, Anil Desai of Shiv Sena (UBT) faced Rahul Shewale of Shiv Sena, and in Mumbai South, Arvind Sawant of Sena (UBT) was pitted against Yamini Jadhav of Shiv Sena.

Prominent voters included industrialists like Anil and Mukesh Ambani, Ratan Tata, and film stars such as Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Nana Patekar, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Sanjay Dutt, Madhuri Dixit, Hema Malini, Dharmendra, Sunny Deol, Ashok Saraf, and Prashant Damle.

Overall Voting in Maharashtra

In the final phase of the elections in Maharashtra, which covered 13 constituencies, the overall voter turnout was 54.22 percent.