Pune city’s voter turnout misses halfway mark

Lowest voter turnout in the district was Pune Cantonment, at 42.68 per cent.

Pune Provisional voter turnout in Pune city for the state assembly elections on Monday failed to meet expectations, with the figure, as of 6 pm, being clocked at 48 per cent.

A senior citizen arrives on wheelchair to cast vote at Mahatma Phule school in Hadapsar on Monday. (RAHUL RAUT/HT)

As per figures released by the district collectorate, Pune district on the other hand recorded a voting percentage of 57 per cent on Monday, also as of 6 pm, marginally higher than the 2014 figure of 56 per cent.

In the district, the Indapur assembly constituency recorded the highest voter turnout at 75 per cent.

The lowest voter turnout in the district was Pune Cantonment, at 42.68 per cent.

Estimates will be revised today, ahead of counting which will take place on October 24.

The Assembly turnout for Pune district is also markedly higher than this year’s Lok Sabha polls, when 49.84 % voters exercised their right.

Pune city’s highest turnout for an assembly election was in 1995, when 67.91 per cent electors cast their votes.

The contest in Pune will be a close fight now as the voting percentage barely hit the halfway mark. In the 2014 assembly polls, the outcome was in BJP’s favour with the party bagging all eight seats in the city.

A dip in the polling percentage will reduce the margin of whoever wins the polls, feel political observers.

For the election commission, the day offered a big sigh of relief as the rain took a much-needed break, after two days of unrelenting precipitation.

Pune district collector Naval Kishore Ram said, “Assembly election in district was conducted peacefully and no incidence of violence was reported, though there have been instances of replacement of EVMs due to technical issues.”

A month-long exercise – from selection to campaigning – had kept candidates busy. Monday brought the curtains down on party efforts, with all eyes now on the day for, October 24.