BMC sings CHS “Thodi si voting
ki Lift kara de”.
BMC is approaching large Societies
and Complexes to allow them to set up polling booths within
their compounds for the February 16 Civic
Elections. The BMC states that so far 22 housing complexes have agreed,
to set up polling booths within their compounds. After hearing this news more such
societies and complexes have appreciated and welcomed this move & the BMC hopes
that more such Buildings & complexes will offer Space by the
Weekend.
Co-operative Guru Shri P. Y. Rathod
states that this is a beginning of new revolution as for the first time in the
history polling booths are being set up within the premises of Co-operative Housing
Societies (CHS). Till now, they were
always set up in nearby Municipal and private Schools. He further adds that
this is a positive move as people staying in such big complexes generally avoid
going to the Municipal Schools for voting & instead prefer to stay at their
Homes. Though the city had a 46% voter
turnout in the 2007 Municipal polls, its
average voting percentage is usually below that figure. Invariably, the
majority who do not vote live in high-rises. He says that such large complexes
for instance have atleast 500 families within their premises, if we account atleast 3 voters
per family the number works out to 1500 voters in the
complex itself, this figure is enhanced if we consider voters staying in the neighboring
buildings, more people will certainly come out to vote as the booths are made easily
accessible to them. Legally a
polling booth is required to be set up for a minimum of 1,000 votes and within
a radius of 1 km of
the Voters residence.
But the Big question here is will this move
increase the voters turn out to the
Poll?
Responding to this Co-operative
Guru Shri P. Y. Rathod rightly points out that a
person living in Mumbai and Thane generally works throughout the week, Sunday is
considered just as a pause for shopping the needs of coming week and thus they
prefer to celebrate a holiday like a festival & hence they avoid to turn up
for the voting, as they consider it as spoiling their day. He further says that
if you ask someone to come
and vote, the first question he would ask you is that How much time will it take? and How long is the queue?, if you reply by
saying that yes there is a little queue, he would quickly respond saying
actually I am busy with some important work
& don’t have time to stand in queue.
So what’s required is just a “Change in the attitude”.
But he agrees
that this initiative will generate more voter turnout in the coming elections. He
says that also with the huge number of Public awareness Campaigns in
the City, the voter turnout is expected to be higher this time.
The decision to allow
polling booths in Co-operative Housing Societies (CHS) was announced by State Election Chief Neela Satyanarayan,
who had urged the Municipal authorities to approach large societies &
complex to set up booths. The names of
these societies that had offered to have polling booths would be announced
through the government gazette in the first
week of February.
This time let’s hope that
with Polling
booths next to your home, some diligent neighbors would encourage each other to
at least take the Lift down and vote concludes
Co-operative Guru, Shri P. Y. Rathod.
Co-operative Guru
Ex- Co-operative Officer, Grade (I).
Registrar of Co-op Societies,
Administrator & Enquiry Officer,
Election & Authorised Officer
Govt. Certified
Auditor & Tax Advisor
Co-operative Societies, Mumbai & Thane Division.
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