NEW DELHI: The South Delhi constituency, home to several posh areas, markets, and government colonies, fares poorly when it comes to exercising universal franchise.
The comparatively low voting turnout in the constituency has been posing a challenge for the Election Commission of India (ECI). This time, the ECI has devised several plans to encourage voters. Officials said that under the Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) program, election officers have planned various activities to engage voters.
“The flip flop we record in the voting pattern of the constituency is a challenge to break. There has been an increase and decrease in the voting percentage in parliamentary elections. In 2014, enthusiasm among voters was witnessed, which led to over 62% voting, which dropped in the next election of 2019 to over 58%. To overcome this challenge, we plan to engage RWAs and start door-to-door campaigning to sensitize voters in South Delhi. In the coming days, we will also set up multiple camps in the area,” an official said.
Previous polls
The constituency is infamous for low voting percentage with a single instance when it voted above 60 per cent in the 2014 parliamentary election.
The highest turnout for the constituency was 62.90 per cent in 2014. If one-time elections are left aside, then the history of the Southern Lok Sabha seat has been that the voting percentage increases in one election and decreases in the next election. Demographically, the constituency has about 22, 21, 445 voters in 10 assembly seats—Bijwasan, Palam, Mehrauli, Chhatarpur, Deoli (SC), Ambedkar Nagar (SC), Sangam Vihar, Kalkaji, Tughlakabad and Badarpur. Of these, female voters are 9,86,726, male voters are 12,34,380, and the third gender voters are 339. The BJP has replaced its two-time MP Ramesh Bidhuri and has fielded Ramvir Singh Bidhuri. On the other hand, AAP under seat sharing agreement with, has named Sahiram Pehalwan as its contestant. The voting for all seven constituencies will take place on May 25.
