Assembly polls: Voting picks up slowly in Mumbai

For 86-year-old Gajanan Budhkar, casting his vote is more crucial than his illness. The former Indian Railways employee can't stand or walk independently but came with his family to vote in his constituency.

 

"I have never missed it. I came in a rickshaw with the help of my walker to cast my vote," Budhkar told Business Standard.

 

Similarly, for Rachil Robert, 58, voting comes first. While originally from Kerala, Robert calls Mulund her home now. 

Sandesh Sonawane, 20, who is doing his graduation, voted for the first time today from the Kurla-Nehrunagar constituency. 

 

The busy King Circle area was quiet today. Some shops were closed while the ones that were open were expecting less business. Mohan Raja, who sells dress materials, said, "Due to the holiday, the voting percentage is low as also our business. However, both will pick up by evening." 

 

In some booths in the North, North East and North West Mumbai, there were long queues since morning to avoid the afternoon heat. Till 11.30 am, voter turnout was 11% in Greater Mumbai. 

 

Shiv Sena cadres were seen manning their booths in Dadar while MNS cadres were seen in large numbers in the Dadar-Mahim area. In Bandra, Kalina and Chandivli, where Congress is striving to retain its supremacy, party leaders and workers were busy guiding voters to their respective booths. 

 

Those who cast their votes so far included NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, MNS chief Raj Thackdray, Bharat Ratna Sachin Tendulkar, Bollywood stars  Rekha, Jaya Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Amol Palekar and actor Atul Kulkarni.

 

HDFC Chairman Deepak Parekh, who could not cast his vote in the Lok Sabha election, did so for the Assembly polls at a booth in Mumbai.

 

Meanwhile, technical problems in EVMs were reported at some polling booths in Nagpur city, Wardha district of Vidarbha and Sewree in Mumbai. Voters in a Nashik booth also complained that the voter rolls were not in order. 

 

A BJP spokesman said two complaints of bogus voting in Kothrud area of Pune were registered with the election officers. Some voters in the city also complained that the indelible ink used to mark voters would fade instantly.

 

An estimated 9% voters cast their votes in the first two hours of polling which was progressing peacefully, officials said.