Maha LS polls: Booths decked up for better polling experience

Balloons and colourful rangolis welcomed voters at some of the polling booths across the 17 Lok Sabha constituencies in Maharashtra where polling is underway in the fourth and final phase Monday.

As part of an initiative by the Election Commission of India to make polling a pleasant experience, certain booths were selected in every Lok Sabha constituency for decoration with local help.

"The whole idea is to make voting a pleasant experience. We cannot put pandals due to several restrictions, but using colours and rangolis would bring some relief to voters, who wait for hours in scorching heat to exercise their right," an ECI official said.

 

Voting is underway at Nandurbar, Dhule, Dindori, Nashik, Palghar, Bhiwandi, Kalyan, Thane, Mumbai-North, Mumbai-North West, Mumbai-North East, Mumbai-North Central, Mumbai-South Central, Mumbai- South, Maval, Shirur and Shirdi.

The ECI had said more than two lakh people have registered for some help from officials to cast vote on its People with disabilities (PWD) mobile application.

"We have provided palanquins (chairs) as well as door to door pick up and drop services for voters. The response is encouraging," said the officer.

In suburban Mulund in Mumbai, 86-year-old Gunanwantiben Somaiya, mother of outgoing BJP MP Kirit Somaiya, cast vote along with her family members.

She has been voting since 1952, the first general elections held after Independence.

In his tweet, Kirit Somaiya said, "I Voted at Gavanpada Mulund, with Family including Son Neil & also Mother who has been voting since 1st Lok Sabha election."

Former top cop Julio Rebeiro also exercised his franchise along with his wife in Mumbai.

Around 200 residents of Gamdevi area, which is part of Mumbai South parliamentary constituency, boycotted voting to protest against what they claimed a bid by a builder to evict them without entering any agreement for redevelopment of their residential building.

They are residents of J K Building in Gamdevi.