Ghaziabad by-poll: District officials to focus on increasing voter turnout

According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), the polling percentage for the Ghaziabad assembly segment stood at 53.27% in 2017 and it dipped to 51.78% in the 2022 assembly election when the segment had 473,009 voters

The Ghaziabad district administration officials said on Wednesday that they will carry out extensive systematic voters’ education and electoral participation (SVEEP) activities in the coming days to increase the polling for the the Ghaziabad assembly by-polls, which is scheduled for November 13.

District magistrate Inder Vikram Singh (right) briefs the media the media about the poll arrangements on Wednesday. (Sakib Ali/HT Photo)

The district magistrate said about 2800-3000 polling staff will be deployed on different election related duties and the model code of conduct (MCC) is already in place in Ghaziabad assembly segment since Tuesday.

“No new development work can be initiated during the period when the model code is in place. It will be applicable to election staff, political parties and candidates. We expect that people will participate with enthusiasm in the by-poll and I appeal to voters to come out in large numbers to exercise their franchise,” district magistrate Indra Vikram Singh said.

According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), the polling percentage for the Ghaziabad assembly segment stood at 53.27% in 2017 and it dipped to 51.78% in the 2022 assembly election when the segment had 473,009 voters. The total number of voters in the segment has dipped to 461,360 voters, said district officials.

“The reduction in voters is due to additions/deletions in the electoral rolls,” said Abhinav Gopal, chief development officer (CDO).

District officials said they expect the voting percentage to dip further this time as polling day, November 13, is a week day (Wednesday).

“We will try and carry out extensive voter awareness programmes in pockets where the turnout was low in 2022 assembly and 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The city also faces an issue of urban apathy where voters in urban pockets generally refrain from voting. Increasing the voting percentage is a big challenge for us,” Gopal said.

The by-poll was necessitated as incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Atul Garg won the Lok Sabha election from Ghaziabad to become an MP.

Major political parties are yet to announce their candidates, but it is expected that the announcements may be made by the end of the week.

According to the schedule issued by the ECI, the notification will be issued on October 18 and October 25 will be the last date for filing of nominations. The scrutiny of nominations will take place on October 28 while the last date for withdrawal of candidature is October 30.

The date of polling will be November 13 and the counting will take place on November 23, said officials.

“Different arrangements like training of staff, logistics etc, have been completed and we expect that the poll process to go smoothly,” DM Singh said.

The officials said this time they have identified total of 388 divyang (persons with disabilities) voters while there are 5,449 first time voters (in the 18-19 age group) besides 134 voters in the age group of 85+, who can exercise their franchise from the comfort of their homes, if they so choose.