BENGALURU: With just a little over two weeks left for the bypolls, political parties are making all-out efforts to woo the voters. It is, however, still not clear if voters too will show similar enthusiasm, especially given the surge in Covid-19 cases. Experts feel that the turnout may be less. The State Election Commission (SEC) is hopeful of a good voter turnout in both Sira and RR Nagar assembly segments on November 3. “A number of awareness measures are being taken at the local level and we expect a good voter turnout in the bypolls,” State Chief Electoral Officer Sanjeev Kumar told TNIE.
“Response in local elections held in other states during the pandemic has been good and we expect the same in Karnataka,” Kumar said.In the 2018 elections, Sira registered a good voter turnout with 84.77 per cent, which was significantly more than in the 2013 assembly polls when the segment had reported 79 per cent polling. However, RR Nagar assembly segment in Bengaluru registered just 54 .38 per cent in 2013, bettering it slightly with 56 per cent in 2018.
Karnataka registered 72 per cent turnout in the 2018 assembly polls and the Commission hopes that the same trend will continue.However, with the bypolls being the first elections to be held in the state after the Covid-19 pandemic broke out, the Election Commission is taking a number of precautionary measures by following the SOPs. Polling booths will be equipped with thermal scanners and hand sanitisers, social distancing will be ensured and other guidelines followed to prevent the spread of the viral infection. Voters will be given gloves to avoid direct contact with the EVMs.
According to political analyst M K Bhaskar Rao, the voter turnout in both the constituencies is unlikely to cross 35 per cent. “People are apprehensive over even taking a metro rail or bus. In such a scenario there is no compelling reason for people to go out and vote,” he added.