India General Elections 2024: Mumbai turnout 47.5 per cent at 5 pm, could better 2019 numbers

Despite several hiccups, nearly half of the city's voters exercised their franchise at polling stations on Monday. Like the last two Lok Sabha elections, the approximate voter turnout remained at 47.52 per cent until 5 pm. The final figure might increase slightly as the voting continued until 6 pm. In 2019, the voter turnout was 55.38 per cent. This election seems to have the lowest turnout compared to the first four phases of polling in the state, which were primarily in rural areas.

As per the data available before press time, the highest voter turnout in the city was in the North West constituency, while the lowest was in the South Mumbai constituency at 44.22 per cent. Among the 36 Assembly constituencies, Jogeshwari East had the highest turnout at 52.35 per cent as of 5 pm. Other areas, including Ghatkopar East and West, Borivli, Dahisar, Charkop, Goregaon, Andheri East, Mulund, Vile Parle, Wadala, and Mahim, crossed 50 per cent turnout by 5 pm, with long queues outside polling stations in these areas in the evening, likely adding more voters to these constituencies.

Local residents casting their vote at S H Jondhale High School polling booth in Dombivli. Pic/Satej Shinde

South Mumbai consistently shows the lowest voter turnout. However, this time the Malabar Hill Assembly constituency had a higher turnout at 48 per cent, compared to other areas like Colaba, where only 34 per cent of residents voted. These are not the final turnout numbers, and based on trends at the polling stations, the final figure may hover around 55 per cent, similar to the last Lok Sabha election.

In the MMR region, Palghar, a semi-urban and rural seat, had the highest voter turnout at 54.32 per cent by 5 pm. Last time, Palghar saw more than 60 per cent turnout. Other constituencies in the MMR, such as Thane (45.38 per cent), Kalyan (41.70 per cent), and Bhiwandi (48.89 per cent), showed similar trends to Mumbai as of 5 pm on Monday. In the last election, the final voting percentages for Thane and Kalyan were below 50 per cent.

An official checking voter slips in Dharavi. Pic/Anurag Ahire

55.38 per cent
City's voter turnout in 2019

Officer dies on duty in Worli, 6 hospitalized

One election official died and six others were hospitalised during poll duty on Monday due to the extreme heat. A 62-year-old polling booth agent Manohar Ramchandra Nilage from Shiv Sena (UBT) faction was found dead inside the toilet of the polling centre in Worli after feeling uneasy. Officials alleged that the Election Commission Of India (ECI) failed to provide basic facilities at the polling booth despite the scorching heat and sultry weather. Nilage was taken to the hospital by NM Joshi police officials by 6.55 pm, KEM's on-duty assistant medical officer told mid-day. "There are five others who were election commission employees brought from nearby areas. Their condition is stable," the AMO of KEM hospital said.

He said the employees have not been admitted but are still under observation. Furthermore, he added that there were several heat related cases in the day. "We cannot directly attribute the cases to polling as of now. There were many who had voted and come but the exact number would not be possible at the moment."