Haryana civic polls: Low voter turnout a concern, says BJP state chief

According to the updated data from the State Election Commission, voter turnout in the state stood at 46.7%; Sonepat district recorded the lowest participation at 31%, while Fatehabad had the highest turnout at 85.2

A day after polling for civic bodies in Haryana, state BJP president Mohanlal Badoli expressed concern over the low voter turnout, calling it a “worrying trend” that requires collective efforts to improve voter participation.

Haryana BJP president Mohanlal Badoli (HT File)

According to the updated data from the State Election Commission, voter turnout in the state stood at 46.7%. Sonepat district recorded the lowest participation at 31%, while Fatehabad had the highest turnout at 85.2%.

Among municipal corporations, Sonepat saw the poorest turnout 28.8% in the mayoral by-election, followed by Ambala 31.9% and Gurugram 41.9%, where voting was held for both the mayor and ward members.

Speaking to the media in Karnal after attending a seminar at DAV College, Badoli said that overall elections were peaceful. “Elections are a festival of democracy, coming only once in five years. Those who did not vote must remember that they have the power to choose the government they believe in,” he said.

Addressing concerns over declining voter turnout, he added, “This is indeed a worrying trend. Voter awareness campaigns must be intensified to encourage greater participation.”

Reacting to the poor voter response in Ambala, state energy minister Anil Vij blamed the opposition’s disarray. “Elections are always between two sides—those in power and those in opposition. The opposition has completely collapsed. Our supporters came out to vote, but the opposition did not, which is why the voting percentage was low,” he said.

Vij’s own constituency, Ambala Cantonment, witnessed polling for the Ambala Sadar municipal council, recording 52.4% turnout.

While some voters cited various issues during polling, experts pointed to multiple factors behind the poor turnout, including voting on a Sunday and frequent elections in the past nine months.

Suman Bhatnagar, a journalist from Ambala, said, “Having voted in two elections within six months, followed by a by-election for Ambala City’s mayoral post (which lasts only eight months), many voters may have chosen to stay away from polling booths,” he said.

Another issue was the absence of voter slips. “Many voters reached polling booths only to find their names missing from the list. Some searched at other booths, while others returned home without casting their votes. The failure of both the administration and political parties to distribute voter slips could be a significant reason,” Bhatnagar added.

A senior official, on condition of anonymity, said, some voters avoid collecting slips from political parties, as local civic elections often involve candidates they personally know.

Kushal Pal, principal of Indira Gandhi National College in Ladwa and a voter from Karnal, attributed the low enthusiasm to the political climate. “The opposition’s weak performance in past elections has lowered voter interest. The mass defection of Congress leaders to the BJP may have also frustrated traditional voters,” he said.