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Spike in Covid infections may impact voter turnout in Noida, say psephologists
Political analysts believe that the pandemic surge will affect the voter turnout in Noida assembly constituency, which is primarily an urban segment, as compared to the other two assembly segments of Dadri and Jewar in Gautam Budh Nagar
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With the number of active Covid-19 cases continuing to rise rapidly, and with experts predicting the present infection wave to peak either in the last week of January or the first week of February, political analysts believe that the pandemic surge will affect the voter turnout in Noida assembly constituency, which is primarily an urban segment, as compared to the other two assembly segments of Dadri and Jewar in Gautam Budh Nagar district.
However, officials engaged in election duty are more optimistic and said they are doing their best to make sure that the polling percentage remains high in the 2022 Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, for which voting will be held in seven phases, starting February 10. The districts of Gautam Budh Nagar and Ghaziabad in the National Capital Region (NCR) will go to vote in the first phase on February 10, as per the schedule announced by the Election Commission of India.
Poll officials said Covid-19 positive persons and senior citizens, who are 80 years of age or above, can vote via postal ballots from their homes. “We are making efforts to make sure that the polling percentage remains high amid the Covid-19 surge. Voters who are Covid-19 positive and the elderly may opt for postal ballots with the help of booth level officers (BLOs), who will facilitate the process. The BLOs will make a list by going door to door so that such people can cast their vote safely,” said Suhas LY, district election officer and district magistrate, Gautam Budh Nagar.
District police chief Alok Singh said he has directed all staff to follow Covid-19 protocols during the poll process. “We have directed the staff to follow social distancing, wear masks and strictly adhere to all precautions. And the staff have a duty to make sure that all follow these norms for their own safety and that of others during the poll process,” he said.
Gautam Budh Nagar on Wednesday reported 2,230 fresh cases of Covid-19, making it the highest single-day spike since the beginning of the pandemic nearly two years ago, according to the latest figures released by the district health department. The tally of active cases is now 9,267, the data showed.
“And the number of Covid-19 cases may further increase manifold by February 10,” said a health official, requesting anonymity.
In the 2017 assembly elections, the polling percentage in Noida constituency was 49%, the lowest in the three segments; Jewar saw 66% polling while Dadri recorded a polling percentage of 61%.
“Being an urban seat, Noida traditionally witnesses lower levels of polling and that in itself is not encouraging. Urban voters should also actively participate in the polling process for a vibrant democracy. But as the election commission is making all efforts to increase the poll percentage, those efforts may result in increased polling this time,” said Rajiv Gupta, educationist and principal, Government Degree College, Noida.
The administration said social distancing will be maintained at all 698 polling booths in Noida, but some voters are still apprehensive of crowding and long queues at polling booths.
“If there is no crowding at the polling booths, then one can comfortably go and vote. We hope that discipline will be maintained this time. If there is a mob-like situation, with no social distancing, then I will not go to vote,” said Hansraj Singh, a resident of Sector 61.
