Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024: Final Voter Turnout and Highlights

District-Wise Voter Turnout

Highest Voter Turnout: Kolhapur (76.25%)
Lowest Voter Turnout: Mumbai City (52.07%)

Voting Centers in Housing Societies: a Commendable Initiative

To increase voting in urban areas, Pune district administration had set up 126 polling stations in housing societies. This allowed voters to cast their vote near their homes. The initiative received a positive response from voters and was considered an effective step towards easing the voting process.

In Pune district, polling stations were set up in 67 housing societies under 13 assembly constituencies, benefiting around 1.36 lakh voters. For instance, a polling station was set up in Unit C Housing Society of Blue Ridge Township, which falls under Bhor Assembly constituency. Residents here exercised their voting right from the comfort of their own society premises.

Abhishek Nandan, secretary, of Unit C Housing Society in Blue Ridge Township said, “Our society is proud to be selected as a polling station. The entire process was conducted smoothly, and our residents appreciated the facility a lot.”

Concerns Over Low Voter Turnout in Urban Areas

Despite these efforts, the voting percentage was low in urban areas, especially in Mumbai City (52.07%) and Mumbai Suburbs (55.77%). Experts believe that this trend is a result of urban voter apathy and to some extent logistical challenges. It was suggested that voter turnout could be improved by expanding the housing society model in the future.

Conclusion

The 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections reflected the democratic fervour of the state, where Kolhapur set an example by leading in voting. Initiatives such as polling booths in housing societies have shown the potential to increase voter participation in urban areas. However, overcoming the apathy of urban voters is crucial to strengthen the democratic process in the future.