Mumbai to shame itself on election day again?

The city may just shame itself again with a low turnout on Election Day which has been declared a paid holiday

The city may just shame itself again with a low turnout on Election Day which has been declared a paid holiday

The stateu00a0labour commissioner Arvind Kumar's initiative to get voters to ink their fingers by giving them a paid holiday on October 13 could boomerang, say Mumbai tour operators. In fact the holiday has worked in favour of the apathetic voter who wants to extend his long weekend holiday out of Mumbai. Tour operators reveal that travel bookings have gone through the roof what with Diwali around the corner. "With Diwali been the holiday season for Indians, there is huge rush of people travelling abroad and a growing demand for long holidays which might affect the voter's turnout on Election Day (October 13). The election date should have been set after Diwali, keeping in mind the holiday mood," says Pradip Lulla, acting president of Travel Agents Federation Of India (TAFI).

A senior citizen goes out to vote in Mumbai during the by-election FILE PIC

Voters such as Mukund Rao, an Andheri based businessman who won't be able to vote due to his business commitments says, "I would have liked to vote but I am helpless as I can't postpone my business meetings. I have no choice but to be there for my client," says Rao, who will leave for Delhi and return on October 15. Rao who had planned his trip some six months back, felt that the government should have looked for other means of wooing voters rather than announcing a shut down on October 13. "Why not give voters a choice to vote online?" he asks.

"We have seen a 50 per cent increase in the business this Diwali. There is a huge rush for holiday bookings since September," said Tarique Khatri, VP, business development from Cleartrip.com. According to Khatri places like Goa, Himachal, Bangkok and Singapore are top holiday spots this season. Fewer Diwali holidays have also prompted Mumbaikars to leave town according to Iqbal Mulla, owner of Treasure Tours and Travel. "Swine flu dampened our business during Lok Sabha elections. But this assembly elections, people have made plans for Diwali vacations in advance," says Mulla.