HYDERABAD: Even the likes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi or Chief Ministers from the two Telugu speaking States — K Chandrasekhar Rao and N Chandrababu Naidu — could not motivate city voters to exercise their franchise. But on the flip side, voters from districts and towns, especially, those from the SC/ST reserved constituencies have consistently recorded a high percentage of voter turnout.
As is the case with elections held ever since Hyderabad was liberated from the Nizams in 1948, the voter turnout in all the districts, except city, is between 65 to 85 per cent.
A look at this year’s voter turnout, according to tentative polling assembly constituency-wise at 5 p.m, saw Boath and Wyra recording 85.38 per cent and 87.99 per cent respectively. They are both ST reserved constituencies.
In total, ST reserved constituencies recorded 78.97 per cent voter turnout while SC reserved constituencies recorded 76.56 per cent. There are a total 31 reserved constituencies in the State. The reason for such high percentage of polling is attributed to high-degree of voter connect with the contesting candidates, say poll pundits. “There is a liking being shown by the electors for the candidates representing their constituency. And, they want the candidates whom they represent to win. So, naturally they support the candidate by voting,” said Professor Subbarangaiah, national convenor of ‘Let us Vote,’ an NGO that advocates voters rights.
Interestingly, though voter turnout in GHMC limits was marred due to long weekend, deletion of voters names from the rolls and Jumma, but, outside GHMC limits the same phenomenon did not hold waters.
However, the factor that contributed to high voter turnout in districts is due to non-migrating locals.
“Unlike cities where residents frequently migrate without updating their electoral rolls, the same is not the case with districts and towns. A number of voters stay at a single place for a long period and that enables them in maintaining continuity of voter rolls,” observed Subbarangaiah.