HYDERABAD: In what is being seen as a depressing day for democracy, polling percentage in the election to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) continued to hover on the lower side at 45.7 per cent on Tuesday — marginally higher than 2016’s turnout.
That the percentage of polling should be so shamefully low came as a shocker since Hyderabad, over the years, has earned the reputation of being one of the most civilised and progressive cities in the country. Though many people blamed the Covid-19 scare for the low turnout, they have no explanation as to why public meetings addressed by politicians teemed with people without masks if they were that afraid of contracting the infection.
The percentage was pathetically lower than that recorded in the elections to the District Development Councils (DDC) in trouble-torn Jammu and Kashmir, where it was 50.31 per cent in the first and second phases of polling together. The first phase was held on Saturday and the second, on Tuesday.
As the polling percentage in the GHMC election was only 45.7 per cent, 54.3 per cent of the total electorate of 74.6 lakh stayed away from voting. In other words, 40.54 lakh voters did not turn up at polling booths. Only 34.12 lakh voters decided who should be in the saddle in the GHMC for the entire electorate.
The election was held for 149 of the 150 divisions, with the State Election Commission (SEC) ordering a re-poll in Old Malakpet on December 3 after it was learnt that the CPI candidate in the fray was allotted the CPM symbol.
Earlier too, Hyderabad’s polling percentage had never been encouraging — 42.04 per cent in 2009 and 45.29 per cent in 2016. But on Tuesday, low voting was recorded in Langar Houz, Rein Bazar, RK Puram and Saroornagar. As the turnout was less, the job of the police had also become easier as there were no major law and order problems, except in KBHB Colony where TRS and BJP workers clashed.
The BJP workers entered into an argument with those of the TRS after stopping the convoy of Transport Minister P Ajay Kumar, alleging that he was moving cash in his vehicle for distribution among voters. When the situation seemed to be getting out of control, the police resorted to lathi-charge and dispersed the crowd.
Though actor Chiranjeevi, and politicians KT Rama Rao, G Kishan Reddy and K Kavitha exercised their franchise, it did not boost the spirit of the need to vote. The appeals of Police Commissioners Anjani Kumar (Hyderabad), VC Sajjanar (Cyberabad) and Mahesh Bhagwat (Rachakonda) to the people to vote fell on deaf ears. The day began with empty polling booths across the GHMC limits with no voter in sight. Even after one hour, at 8 pm, polling booths remained deserted and the polling staff had no work.
At some booths, the staff were seen taking a quick nap, sitting in their chairs and resting their heads on tables. The poor polling percentage is being seen mainly as an indication of disenchantment of the urban voter over political parties’ style of functioning, who carried out a blitzkrieg campaign, making one wonder if both the BJP and the TRS were at war. As the BJP, MIM and TRS took a dive into making high-voltage statements with a potential to foment communal hatred, the city wobbled as though hit by an earthquake.
According to experts, the poor poll percentage was because a majority of those, who did not turn up to vote, had left Hyderabad to enjoy the back-to-back holidays. The long weekend was an irresistible attraction as Tuesday was also declared a holiday. Thus, many are understood to have been relaxing with their relatives and friends in their home towns.
Not bothered to step out
In fact, a majority of the techies had left the city long ago as most IT companies have allowed them to work from home. As it does not matter where they are, they are no longer in Hyderabad and this fact is borne out by the availability of accommodation, for quite sometime now, at bargain prices across the city.
On the other hand, those who are in Hyderabad did not want to take the bother of going to polling booths, unlike in villages and small towns where the contesting candidates are known to the voters. But in a city as large as Hyderabad, no one personally knows the candidates who are in the fray.
This apart, except the communal slugfest, there was no meaningful debate on what the parties intended to do for the city. Most of the issues that the parties had raised were beyond the bounds of the GHMC and lacked in credibility -- such as ordering surgical strikes and improving infrastructure for industries.
The election has surprisingly thrown up some interesting aspects too. Though the millennials seemed to have stayed away from voting, the aged, ailing and physically challenged braved their handicap and reached polling stations in the morning itself to cast their vote.
A 70-year old woman, Lakshmkanthamma, a resident of Nagarjuna Colony, said she voted because she believes that it is her responsibility. “I voted in accordance with my conviction. I have never missed voting in any election, except on the occasion when I was on polling duty,” she said.
40.54 lakh voters stayed away
As the polling percentage in the GHMC election was only 45.7 per cent, 54.3 per cent of the total electorate of 74.6 lakh stayed away from voting. In other words, 40.54 lakh voters did not turn up at polling booths. Only 34.12 lakh voters decided who should be in the saddle in the GHMC