Mumbai heads to the polls on November 20, with voter registration witnessing a significant boost since the Lok Sabha elections six months ago. According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), the city has added 53,372 new voters, while the suburbs registered an increase of 2,47,715 voters. This brings the total voter count to 1.02 crore, comprising 54.67 lakh males, 47.62 lakh females, and 1,082 transgender voters, a slight rise from 1,036 during the Lok Sabha polls.
To accommodate the growing electorate, the number of polling booths in Mumbai has been increased to 10,117. Mumbai’s voter registration percentage stands at 50.45% in the city and 51.7% in the suburbs, ECI data revealed.
Initiatives to Tackle Urban Apathy
Efforts are underway to address urban apathy, a persistent issue during elections. Mumbai Municipal Commissioner and District Election Officer Bhushan Gagrani stated, “We have carried out intense campaigns to encourage people to come out and vote. Approximately 9% of polling booths have been set up inside residential complexes and high-rises to make voting more accessible.”
Private stakeholders are also pitching in to boost voter turnout.
“Several restaurant chains, retailers, and multiplexes are offering discounts to consumers who display their inked fingers. We are hopeful these initiatives will draw more people to vote,” Gagrani added.
Facilities for Voters and Special Needs
To ensure voter comfort and accessibility, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and ECI have arranged sitting areas, mobile toilets, and water dispensers at polling stations. Special pick-up and drop-off services have been arranged for senior citizens and specially-abled voters. Over 25,000 officers will be deployed to maintain law and order, and 76 polling stations, including 13 in Mumbai city and 63 in the suburbs, have been identified as critical.
“Labelling a polling station as ‘critical’ doesn’t mean there is a law and order issue,” clarified an official. “It could mean voter turnout was significantly lower than average or that votes from the station heavily skewed toward a single candidate.”
Crackdown on Illegal Freebies
In a bid to enforce the Model Code of Conduct, authorities have seized illegal freebies worth ₹346.4 crore in the past month. Items confiscated include jewellery worth ₹244.97 crore, drugs worth ₹48 crore, ₹46 crore in cash, alcohol worth ₹1.22 crore, and other freebies valued at ₹5 crore.
“Distribution of any freebie is a violation of the code of conduct, and these items were confiscated after the elections were announced,” an official said.
