Mumbai: Mumbai city, which has a track record of low voter turnout, may disappoint yet again, since the voting day is April 29, by which time schools and colleges will break for summer vacations. Most people plan their summer break in advance and slot it between April and May, which may affect the voter percentage.
Again, most government and semi-government institutions and workplaces observe a holiday on polling day, which is intended to facilitate a better turnout. But this time polling is on Monday and a holiday will lead to an extended weekend, which most Mumbaikars will avail of to get out of the city confines.
In the 2014 elections, there was a 52.26 per cent turnout, while in 2009 the turnout was 41.5 per cent. Keeping in mind this pattern, politicians and parties have begun conducting booth level awareness programmes. Some probable candidates have already begun connecting with youths in order to convince first-timers to vote and assert their right to choose.
Opposition party leaders have accused the government of deliberately keeping the Mumbai voting day on Monday, since a low turnout is supposed to traditionally take care of the anti-incumbency factor.
