BENGALURU: Election officials have prepared a list of constituencies and booths where the voting percentage is less. Now, to increase the voting percentage in such booths, the officials have launched a door-to-door campaign, appealing to people to come out and vote.
They also speak to them to know the reasons for not voting and if they need any assistance or facilities to exercise their franchise. Further, the officials would put stickers on the doors and walls of houses of voters with an appeal to them to come out and vote on the polling day.
The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has printed 12.9 lakh stickers to be stuck on the doors and walls of houses in the booths where the voting percentage is less.
The Election Commission of India has noted that the national voting average is 67.40%.
‘Identified 5k booths where polling %age is under 30-35’
Tushar Girinath, District Election Officer, Bengaluru, told TNIE that a list of 1,786 polling booths has been prepared where the voting percentage is less than the national average. The sticker is a reminder and a pledge administered to people to vote. This exercise is done while distributing voter slips.
According to the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Karnataka, the voting percentage in Bangalore Central, North and South parliamentary constituencies is the lowest in the state and is much below the national average of 54.26, 54.35 and 53.7, respectively. The voting percentage is below average in the constituencies of Belgaum and Koppal districts.
It is less in the constituencies of Vijayapura, Bidar and Raichur districts. The voting percentage was above the national average in Shivamogga, Haveri and Chikkodi during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The highest voter turnout of 80.79% was reported from Chikkodi-Sadagalallowed by Hangal 80.80%, at Shikaripura 80.64%, Thirthahalli 80.59% and Shivamogga Rural 80.38%.
CEO Manoj Kumar Meena said, “It may not look like we are doing much. But work is being done on the ground. We are approaching people to understand what their problem is and why they are not coming out and voting. We have identified over 5,000 booths in the state where the polling percentage is less than 30-35. Special attention is being paid to these areas.”