Collector sets 75% voter turnout target for Nagpur

Nagpur: Along with rest of Maharashtra, Nagpur district will vote in the assembly elections on November 20. With nearly 45 lakh eligible voters, around 2.22 lakh more than in the recent Lok Sabha polls, the local administration has launched ‘Mission Distinction', aiming to reach 75% voter turnout initiated during the LS polls. However, it had fallen short of the target.
In the Lok Sabha elections in April, the district recorded a voter turnout of 54.30%.Similarly, during the 2019 assembly elections, the district saw average turnout of 55% across its 12 constituencies, the lowest in Vidarbha back then.
In a bid to improve voter turnout, the Election Commission has scheduled voting on a Wednesday, following research conducted after the Lok Sabha polls. The study found that voter numbers dropped when elections were held near the weekend, as many residents opted for outings instead, said collector Vipin Itankar during a media briefing on Tuesday.
Itankar said that a special cyber team will be formed this time to closely monitor online activities, particularly on social media, ensuring transparency throughout the election process.
Itankar also highlighted that the voting percentage among women was noticeably lower during the Lok Sabha elections, stating, "We will place greater emphasis on encouraging female voters this time." In the newly updated voter list, the percentage increase for males stands at 4.29%, while females have seen a rise of 6.14%.
For the first time, in accordance with the guidelines of the Election Commission of India, the district administration is establishing an additional 20 polling booths. Of these, 11 are located in high-rise areas and 9 in slums, with the sites already identified. All nine slum booths are situated in urban areas, while out of the 11 high-rise booths, eight are within city limits and three are in rural areas.
Joint commissioner of police Nisar Tamboli, who also attended the conference, informed that police have already commenced area domination as of Tuesday with two paramilitary units. "This is part of our regular procedure and will continue until the end of October," Tamboli added.
Itankar assured that home voting facility, similar to that provided during the Lok Sabha polls, will be available for voters aged 85 and older. According to data released by the district administration, there are currently 57,837 voters in this age group in the district, with 21,904 in Ramtek and 35,933 in city.