The Election Commission of India has established over 200 polling stations within housing societies in urban areas of Uttar Pradesh (UP) to boost voter turnout in the politically significant state.
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In an interview with the news agency PTI, the state’s Chief Electoral Officer Navdeep Rinwa stated that the poll body is focusing on urban areas with historically low voter turnout and expressed confidence that Uttar Pradesh will lead in terms of voting percentage.
Uttar Pradesh’s voting percentage in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections was 59.11%, which analysts considered low.
Navdeep Rinwa, the Chief Electoral Officer of the state, emphasized that they have implemented several crucial measures to eliminate barriers preventing voters from casting their votes. Ensuring that polling stations are located within a two-kilometre radius of every voter has been a priority.
Rinwa mentioned a new initiative targeting urban areas with historically low voter turnout by setting up polling stations within gated communities and multi-storeyed housing societies. Authorities have established over 200 polling booths across the state, with Noida taking the lead, followed by Ghaziabad, Lucknow, Kanpur, Bareilly, and Mathura.
Voting Percentage In UP
Expressing confidence, Rinwa stated that he expects the voting percentage in Uttar Pradesh to surpass 60%, emphasizing ongoing activities under SVEEP (Systematic Voter’s Education and Electoral Participation) for voter education and awareness.
The Election Commission has initiated a Turnout Implementation Plan (TIP) for each assembly constituency to analyze reasons for low turnout at polling stations and address the previous low turnout.
Rinwa also mentioned logistical considerations for upcoming elections, including voting hours from 7 am to 6 pm, except for specific constituencies. Plans for ‘One Nation, One Election’ have been discussed, highlighting the need for sufficient infrastructure such as EVMs.
Measures to ensure voter comfort during hot weather include providing clean drinking water, shade, and suitable furniture for senior citizens and physically challenged voters at polling stations. Furthermore, authorities have arranged medical kits and provided guidelines for polling staff to maintain their physical well-being during the election period.
Efforts to clean up voter lists by addressing non-existent voters and ensuring accurate voter information have been part of recent revisions by the ECI in collaboration with district election officers.
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