Urban voters must turn out in larger numbers

The results of the Maharashtra and Jharkhand Legislative Assembly elections are now out, and new governments have been formed in both states.

- DR. R.K. SINHA

The Chief Ministers and some ministers have also taken their oaths.

In the Maharashtra Assembly elections, over 65 per cent voter turnout was recorded, the highest in the last 30 years. This is significant for two reasons: first, it shows an almost 4 per cent increase compared to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, and second, it is close to the average national voter turnout of around 65-66 per cent.

But the question arises—can this voter turnout percentage be considered sufficient for a strong democracy? Certainly not! Then, what can be done? This is a serious issue that all responsible citizens of the country need to think about—how can voter turnout be increased in elections?

As mentioned above, the Maharashtra Assembly elections recorded the highest turnout in the last 30 years. Maharashtra's data is noteworthy because the state has the largest urban population in the country. Historically, it has lagged behind the national average due to low voter turnouts in cities and towns.

However, a closer look at Maharashtra's data reveals that voter apathy in urban areas has not entirely disappeared. For example, Western Maharashtra's Kolhapur district recorded a high voter turnout of 76.25 per cent, followed by Gadchiroli—a region often in the news for Maoist activities—at 73.68 per cent. In contrast, Mumbai city district recorded a low voter turnout of 52.07 per cent. Similar figures were observed in other urban districts like Pune, Thane, and Mumbai suburban.