BENGALURU: Among the four Lok Sabha constituencies in Bengaluru, Bangalore Central has yet again put up the worst voter turnout, by recording only 52.81 per cent. Though the numbers have improved by 10 per cent, compared to the 2019 polls, the segment continues to bear the ‘poor turnout’ title. In the 2014 election, the total poll percentage was 55.64 per cent, and plummeted to 42.43 per cent in 2019.
While some blame the Election Commission for having an inflated voters’ list with people who are dead and who have moved to different areas, others blamed the attitude of people for not stepping out to exercise their democratic right once in five years.
Cutting across religions and languages, people headed to polling booths in Bangalore Central at 7am and set the EVMs buzzing. From the injured on wheelchairs to auto drivers and street vendors casting their votes as early birds, and heading out to work, people across the spectrum exercised their democratic rights.
Shalom Sanjay, a first-time voter who cast her vote at Morarji Desai School, which is nearing 100 years and has witnessed almost all the elections since Independence, said, “I voted for a leader who will build the nation.” On the other hand, 57-year-old Nasreen’s broken leg didn’t stop her from casting her vote. She arranged for an auto to the polling booth. On her arrival, police and polling staff gave her a wheelchair to go in and cast her vote.
There were many auto drivers, mechanics, street vendors and labourers who voted and then went to ply their trades as usual. There were also theme-based booths, like Yakshagana kiosks, in this constituency.
