Mumbai's housing societies are like mini-cities, no strangers to taking charge—whether it's hosting blood donation drives, setting up quarantine or vaccine centres, or organising festivals and bazaars. Now, they're preparing to convert their courtyards and community halls into voting booths to make election day as convenient and communal as possible.
In the upcoming state assembly elections, 709 housing societies will host polling booths right on their premises.Residents of Raheja Heights Complex in Dindoshi, a gated community with 675 flats, welcome this change. Instead of trekking to distant booths, they'll head downstairs to vote alongside familiar faces. "We were fed up with going to dilapidated buildings and have been pushing for polling booths within our complex for years," said chairman Jayant Shetty. "With eight 20-storey towers, having a booth here will definitely encourage more residents to vote." The 14-year-old society is ready to set up polling booths in their parking lot or offer the society office if needed.
Anil Kumar, secretary of Arjuna Garden Enclave in Vikhroli, is excited about the upcoming elections and the polling booth that will be set up in their club cafeteria. "We've always wanted voting to be convenient for our members, especially senior citizens and differently abled friends," he said.
With about 1,000 residents across six towers, Kumar is spreading the word through active WhatsApp groups. Posters encouraging voting are in the works, but as an ad professional, he's also motivating residents with poems and quotes. "It's not enough to have a booth nearby—you've got to instil that urge to vote for the nation," he said, recounting how their enclave has hosted bazaars and blood donation drives in the past and this is an extension of their efforts to be self-reliant.
While their plans for election day are still shaping up, Kumar informed that they plan to organise a mix of young and senior volunteers from the society to guide voters. "It's important to have trusted volunteers from within the society to avoid outside influences or interference," added Kumar.
Sarika Poddar, the secretary of Ashok Towers in Lower Parel, described the challenges faced during previous elections and how the upcoming polling booth will make a significant difference. "Last May, we saw that many senior citizens really struggled in the heat, waiting in long lines. With over 1,300 voters in our society, it was tough for everyone. They had to go to a nearby college, and people were dehydrated after standing for two hours," she said.
To address this, Poddar approached the Election Commission of India (ECI) for a dedicated polling booth within Ashok Towers. "I found out that you need at least 1,200 voters to qualify for a booth and we definitely have that. Thankfully, the ECI agreed and came to assess our facility," she said. "Now, voting will be a lot easier and more convenient for everyone." With a good clubhouse available, they intend to make the voting process smooth for residents.
Bhavik Mota, a resident of Ashok Towers, is thrilled about the polling booth setup, especially for his elderly parents. "Both are over 75, and it's such a hassle to take them out and get them to stand in long queues in the heat," he said. "Even with a separate line for seniors, they still faced a 40-minute wait. Yesterday, they told me it can't get better than this—just take the lift downstairs and vote, it's so easy."
Poddar also highlighted their volunteer efforts. "We have a dedicated group ready to help. A quick WhatsApp message is all it takes, and people respond immediately. We're confident of assembling a volunteer team depending on the ECI's directive," she said, adding that they also organised a drive to help their domestic staff register to vote, since many of them can't head back to their villages for elections. "Our staff now have their Aadhaar and voting IDs updated to show their residence here and can now vote right here in the housing complex."
However, not all housing societies are keen on hosting polling booths. Synchronicity CHS in Chandivali, with 266 flats across five towers, was approached by polling staff a few months ago. But chairman Mandeep Singh Makkar raised concerns about potential political perceptions. "Our worry was that political parties might gauge the society's political leanings based on voting patterns. Though our society wasn't selected, we hope such concerns are addressed in future," Makkar explained.
A senior official from the cooperatives department said, "Society office-bearers in over 1,000 large townships across the metropolitan region are actively participating in the programme to maximise voter registration." The ECI has directed the chairperson, secretary and the managing committee in larger housing societies to act as booth-level officers and ensure all eligible voters are registered and receive their voter slips. "Most importantly, they must ensure that voters stay home and cast their votes instead of taking a long leave," he said, adding that the goal is to achieve an 80%-90% voter turnout in each housing society.
(Inputs by Chittaranjan Tembhekar)