Rural voters exhibit enthusiasm, outshine Faridabad city slickers

Bijendra Ahlawat

Faridabad, May 26

With this year’s voting percentage of 60.2 per cent remaining lower than that of the 2019 elections (64.7 per cent), it is the voters of the rural segments that have exhibited exuberance. The residents of the urban areas have failed to participate in adequate numbers in the electoral process despite various poll awareness campaigns having been held across the state.

According to sources in the district administration, numerous programmes and drives that were organised for creating awareness among the voters failed to make a visible impact on the average voter turnout.

According to reports, it was claimed that the Election Department had targeted to raise the polling percentage to at least 70 per cent.

“The turnout perhaps went on the expected lines as it were the rural voters who exhibited some kind of exuberance despite the scorching heat,” says Devender Singh Surjewala, a political analyst. He said the urban voters, who had been the focus of the awareness drives, left the authorities disappointed with their poor performance. As low response by the urban voters had become a trend, despite having spent large amount of funds on the awareness drives in the process, the turnout failed to cross 58.2 per cent in the urban segments.

Vishnu Goel, a resident, said money and time could have been judiciously used in creating the required facilities and infrastructure to lure the voters, especially the younger lot. He attributed various issues such as the non-delivery of the voter slips and unavailability of door-step facility for many elderly and physically challenged to the low turnout.

“Besides the hot weather conditions, the movement of families to other places in view of the summer break can be a hurdle for many in the urban pockets,” said Sumer Khatri, another resident.

Former MLA Karan Dalal said the rural voters had always been more expressive and involved in the politics than the urbanites, who had been more concerned with their work or comfort level.

Meanwhile, the district election authorities said the sealed EVMs had been kept in strong rooms amid the round-the-clock security. “All EVMs, CU, BU and VVPAT have been sealed and stored in the strong rooms in the presence of Election Observer Akshay Kumar Singh, District Election Officer Vikram Singh and representatives of political parties,” said a spokesperson of the district administration.

The strongrooms have been set up at various sites, including Lakhani Dharamshala in NIT, Government Women’s College in Sector 2, the auditorium of DAV school (Sector 14), Gurjar Bhawan in Sector 16 and Punjabi Bhawan in Sector 16.