Maharashtra polls: Urban voter apathy matter of concern, says CEC Rajiv Kumar

Mumbai, Sep 28 (PTI) Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on Saturday expressed his concern over the urban voter apathy, and said efforts are being made to ensure maximum polling in the ensuing Maharashtra assembly elections.

Addressing a press conference in Mumbai after reviewing poll preparedness for the Maharashtra assembly elections, Kumar singled out areas like Colaba and Kalyan in and around Mumbai which recorded “among the lowest” voter turnout in the Lok Sabha polls held this year.

Daily wage earners and others in the unorganised sector should be informed by the administration that voting day will be a paid holiday for them, he said.

“Our effort will be to ensure that there is maximum enrolment and voting in Maharashtra assembly elections,” he said.

“We have asked Maharashtra Government to shift officials who have served in their home district or current posting for over three years,” Kumar said, adding he has asked for a compliance report for the same in the next couple of days.

The CEC said it is the right of voters to know if any candidate has criminal background. The political parties should also inform people reasons for fielding such candidates, he added.

There will be checking of all helicopters (during electioneering) to ensure inducement-free assembly elections in Maharashtra, he said.

Wrapping up his two-day visit to the state, Kumar said those spreading fake news and using deep fake tech on social media ahead of Maharashtra polls will be dealt with sternly.

Kumar also said it is the right of voters to know if any candidate has criminal background. In such cases, political parties should also inform the voters about their inability to field anyone else, he added.

“I am confident Maharashtra will contribute to the ensuing festival of democracy (assembly elections),” Kumar said.

“We met all the stakeholders, including political parties and officials during our stay in Mumbai,” he said.

“Political parties told us to keep in mind festivals like Diwali, Dev Diwali and Chhath Puja before announcing the dates of the elections,” Kumar said.

To a query on whether the Maharashtra elections will be in a single phase or multiple phases, he said, “You will come to know that later”.

There will be 1,00,186 polling booths in the Maharashtra assembly elections, the CEC said.

“We met the leaders of 11 parties including BSP, AAP, CPI(M), INC, MNS, SP, Shiv Sena (UBT), Shiv Sena,” he said.

Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Dr Sukhbir Singh Sandhu were also present at the press conference.

Maharashtra assembly elections have to be held before November 26 as the term of the 288-member House ends on that date. PTI