46% voting in BMC polls

'No vote' option introduced.

Although Mumbaikars came out in large numbers to vote for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, defying the fears of all political parties, for the first time they also queued up to register a negative vote: the 'no vote' option.

According to provisional figures released by the state election commission, the voter turnout was between 46 and 50 per cent. In the last BMC polls in 2002, the percentage was around 42.

Those who didn't want to vote in today's polls, needed to enter their vote in a register kept at the polling booth for the purpose. These voters were denied the use of an Electronic Voting Machine because there is no provision for 'no vote' in an EVM, pending orders from the Supreme Court.

In other nine municipal corporations, which include Pune, Nagpur, Thane, Nashik, Ulhasnagar, Solapur, Akola Amravati and Pimpri-Chinchwad, the voter turnout was around 60 per cent.

Since the polling day was a working day, many political parties had feared voter turnout could be affected as no private sector establishments except banks had declared a holiday. Most of the corporates allowed employees either to report to work two hours late or leave offices two hours early.

Barring minor incidents of violence, no major incident was reported from any part of the state including Mumbai, said the home ministry officials.

Replying to a question, BJP state unit spokesman Madhu Chavan denied that higher voting percentage was a sign of anti-incumbency or that it would affect BJP-Sena's chances in today's polls.

Maharashtra Navanirman Sena (MNS) President Raj Thackeray said, "People could not vote in large numbers during the (previous) civic elections because they had limited options. But now we have provided them a new alternative and this increase in percentage is because people want a change."

Deputy Chief Minister and senior NCP leader R R Patil said, "High voter turnout in the BMC election is a clear sign of anti-incumbency factor working against the Sena-BJP combine. By tomorrow afternoon, it will be clear that Mumbai will have a mayor from the secular parties".

"One cannot predict merely on the basis of voting percentage, who is going to win and who is not. It is necessary to have a booth-wise data before you can have any rough guess," said a senior Sena leader.