As six parliamentary constituencies in Jharkhand ready to go to polls today, the Ranchi constituency that has been bearing the burnt of urban apathy towards voting for several years may see a marked change in the voting trends this election. Poll officials’ alongwith members of civic society organisations and even political leaders are expecting a modest turnout of urban voters in Ranchi this time.
The Ranchi parliamentary constituency that comprises six Assembly segments — Ranchi, Hatia, Kanke, Khijri, Ichagarh and Silli has 1647037 electorates. Out of which Ranchi and Hatia constituencies fall in purely urban areas, while Kanke has partly urban population. The total number of electorates in the urban Ranchi and Hatia urban constituencies comes to 6,34,074 , besides 3,25,415 votes of Kanke.
In Ranchi seat, where margin of winning votes was around 14000 in last general election in 2009 and there was very disappointing response of urban voters with voting percentage remaining between 35 to 40 percent, a large number of urban voters coming out to vote is set to make a difference.
The Election Commission’s Systematic Voters’ Education And Electoral Participation (SVEEP) programme and active participation of social groups, trade bodies, student forums and social media is likely to raise the polling percentage to a great extent, feel experts.
“This year’s elections are going to be extraordinary. We are witnessing huge change in the mindset in the urban populace. Be it on social media or other public forums. More and more youths and general public are encouraging each other to vote. Especially, in a developing city like Ranchi the awareness level is high this year. I feel people are politically more aware this time and they will go to vote,” said a former bureaucrat who did not wish to be named.
Chief Electoral officer of Jharkhand PK Jajoria, too expressed hope that more and more people would come out to vote in Ranchi this time. “We expect a seven to eight percent increase in overall voting. The purpose of SVEEP has been to increase participation of voters in the electoral process. We have done a lot in this area and we are confident that the urban voters will come out in large numbers. Polling percentage will not only rise in urban areas but rural areas will also witness the change,” jajoria said.
Former Assembly Speaker CP Singh, who also happens to be Ranchi MlA, expected that the polling percentage will rise to about 60 per cent this time. “In 2009 Assembly polls it was little more than 32 per cent in Ranchi constituency. We hope that it goes up to 60 per cent this time. Many complaints are also coming from locals of deletion of their names from the electoral roll else the percentage would have gone higher. The election commission should take this issue seriously,” he said.