For the first time in Gujarat, the Election Commission has set up polling booths within residential societies in Ahmedabad. The objective is to overcome urban apathy.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Gujarat witnessed a voter turnout of 64.5% – lower than the national average of 67.4 per cent. The voter turnout data of the 2022 Assembly elections indicates that in 3,489 polling stations of the total 50,677 in the state, less than 50% voter turnout was witnessed.
Thirty polling stations have been set up in as many residential apartments in the Vejalpur, Naranpura and Ghatlodiya Assembly constituencies that fall under the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency in the western part of Ahmedabad.
Overcoming voter apathy
The initiative was taken for Ahmedabad city as it has a low voter turnout. A benchmark of 1,000 voters in a residential society has been considered before setting up a polling booth, said officials. The idea is to make it easier for people to vote. Instead of going out to a polling station, they can just reach their club house or society office to cast their vote, according to sources.
Further, to motivate urban voters to cast their votes, special initiatives targeting specific sections of voters such as Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) have been undertaken by the State Election Commission.
Some of the residential apartments where polling booths have been set up in the Ghatlodiya seat include two residential societies in Adani Shantigram in Khodiyar, Maple Tree at Surdhara Circle in Thaltej, Indraprastha Tower, Drive in Road, Premchandnagar Society, Bodakdev, Garden Residency in Bopal, Iscon Platinum, Bopal, Sector 2 and 4 of Suncity in Bopal, and Anand Bhuvan Society, Bopal.
Similarly, in Vejalpur, the societies are Devansh Apartment, Venus Parkland, Orchid White Field, Sorrel Applewood, Sarkhej, and Naranpura Panchvati Apartment, Akashganga apartment and Nandanvan apartment.
Also Read: Free AMTS Bus Ride On Polling Day
