MCD polls: Half of Delhi did not care

After a fiercely fought month-long election campaign, voting wrapped up in municipal corporations on a blazing Sunday, with approximately 53.53 per cent turnout, similar to the scene in 2012 polls. But the overall enthusiasm was sluggish as the voter turnout dipped in comparison to the assembly polls that took place in 2013 and 2015, respectively, and the 2014 Lok Sabha election.

In the 2015 Assembly election, the turnout was 67.13 per cent, and, in 2013, it was 65.93 per cent. In the 2014 Lok Sabha election, it was 65.07 per cent.

“Around 54 per cent voting was recorded in the MCD elections,” said State Election Commissioner (SEC) SK Srivastava, adding that it almost touched the figure of the last corporation election in 2012.

This shows that almost half of the national capital decided to stay home. While senior citizens braved the heat to vote, youngsters were hardly seen in polling booths through the day. While the streets remained quiet, the election vigour could be felt in some places, including the Walled City, rural areas, unauthourised colonies and slum clusters. In upscale and middle-class localities, there were low turnouts.

The middle and upper middle class, who often take to Twitter and other social media …read more