People from all walks of life across the city stepped out to exercise their democratic right as voting for the 2014 Maharashtra Assembly Elections kicked-off today
Maharashtra voted today for a new government. While brisk polling was seen in the morning, it dwindled in the afternoon and then picked up again towards the end.
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Approximately 53 per cent of the 1.01 crore voters in Mumbai cast their votes today. As many as 519 candidates are in the fray for 36 constituencies in the country's financial capital.
As per the figures available with the State Electoral Office, Andheri East saw the highest 56.22 per cent turnout, while Borivali, Mulund, Bhandup West, Jogeshwari, Dahisar, Vile Parle, Ghatkopar East, Wadala, Byculla and Malabar Hill saw more than 40 per cent turnout.
The lowest was reported in Versova with 28.9 per cent turnout. Voting, which was brisk and moderate throughout the day, picked up later in the afternoon and election officials expected a satisfactory turnout till the close of poll at 1800 hrs.
Maharashtra recorded a turnout of 34 per cent till afternoon. The highest voter turnout of 58.32 per cent was witnessed in Radhanagri constituency of Kolhapur district, while the lowest 13.61 per cent was in Ramtek seat of Nagpur district, till 1 PM, as per the statistics provided by the state electoral office.
Leaders and prominent personalities including Prime minister Narendra Modi urged people to come out and vote.
In Mumbai, senior citizens were seen early in the morning casting their votes in various parts of the city. 4,119 candidates are in the electoral fray, including to 276 women in the state with 8.35 crore voters eligible to exercise their right to franchise.
Shakuntala Upadhyay (82), a Thane resident who stepped out to vote even though she was unwell
The Thane resident said, "Everyone should vote, so did I. If you don't vote you have no right to complain. Only we can bring the change we want to."
An old couple head out to vote early in the morning
People queue up to vote in Borivli. Pic/ Nimesh Dave
Mumbai had recorded a voter turnout of 46.1 per cent in 2009, 48.4 per cent in 2004 and 44.9 per cent in 1999.
The highest was 58.7 per cent in 1995 when Congress had lost all the constituencies, except Colaba.
HDFC chairman, Deepak Parekh, whose name was deleted from the voting list during the LS elections, managed to exercise his right to vote this time
Salma Saiyad (60), who is physically challenged, voted at a polling centre at Ghatkopar's Hindi High School
The chair meant for carrying the physically challenged was made available to Salma. However, there was no one to take her to the first floor of the centre. When authorities were asked, they simply refused to do anything saying they don’t have the staff. Later, after much difficulty, she was taken to the first floor through a lift.
An ambulance waits outside a polling station
All in their 80's, the Shah and Mishra family came out and voted for the betterment of society. V K Shah (first from right) is suffering with Alzheimer but still he shows the spirit
Mumbai is witnessing a five-cornered contest with Sena, BJP, Congress, NCP and MNS fighting independently.
Prominent candidates in Mumbai include former Health Minister Suresh Shetty from Andheri East, former Textile Minister Mohammed Arif Naseem Khan in Chandivali and former Women and Child Welfare Minister Varsha Gaikwad in Dharavi.
Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar in Bandra West and Leader of Opposition in the state Legislative Council Vinod Tawde in Borivali are also in the fray.
72-year-old Shashikant Mahajan who recently suffered from a paralytic attack also cast his vote at the Mulund College of Commerce
Voters waiting to cast their votes at one of the polling centres in Mulund
Film personalities like Rekha and Abhishek Bachchan,sports star Sachin Tendulkar and politicians, including Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray, cast their votes in the early hours of polling.
(With inputs from Agencies)
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