History shows most Bangalore voters don’t vote

History shows most Bangalore voters don’t vote
Bangalore, Mar 13, DHNS:

Bangaloreans are couch potatoes when it comes to exercising their franchise. On March 28, when the capital goes to the poll, the scene may not be very different.

In the last two elections - Lok Sabha and State Assembly, the City recorded a very low turnout on the polling day. In the LS polls in 2009, only 46 per cent of the voters voted, while for the Assembly polls in 2008 the turnout was 44.5 pc.

The Election Commission’s voters list revision is an on-going process. Despite giving sufficient advertisements in media to motivate voters to enroll their names, the response has been poor, according to officers of the Commission.

March 5 was the last date for inclusion, deletion and correction of names in the voters list for the BBMP elections. The applications received after the cut off date will be considered but only after the elections.

‘Good job’

Usually politicians blame ruling party for discrepancies or deletion of names in the voters list. But that may not work this time. Former mayor and Congress leader Ramachandrappa said the government has done a good job when it comes to the revision of the list.

“Sitting at home a voter can see whether his name is in the list or not. All people have to do is to open the website of the commission and check the voters list. People don’t even do that but on the polling day blame the government,” he said. He also said on an average two pc of the people shift their residence every month. “In the last six months, it may come to 12 pc. When they shift to a new area they will not include their names in the voters’ list in that area. This is how they miss the opportunity to vote,” the former mayor said.

Poor response

Lakshmidevi R, elctorol registration officer and returning officer, Malleswaram said that response for the revision of the rolls is poor. “People are indifferent. We have done our best to help people in registering their names. But unless people show interest they can’t get their names registered or corrections carried out,” she said. Unlike in the old BMP areas, the scene is better in the areas which are newly added to the Palike limits.

An officer working at the KR Puram Assembly constituency said slum dwellers were very particular about enrolling their names in the list. Whereas in upmarket areas situation is not so.

“The officers hardly had access to meet residents in apartment complexes. And, those who shift their localities do not bother to inform the revenue officers,” the officer said.