Low Voter Turnout in Uttarakhand Sparks Debate: Citizens Discuss Reasons Behind Decline and seek answers from ECI.
DEHRADUN: In a recent round table dialogue organized by the SDC Foundation, folks from all walks of life gathered to chew the fat on Uttarakhand's plummeting voter turnout.
With just 57.22% showing up for the recent Lok Sabha elections, the state saw a dip compared to past turnouts.
The bigwigs blamed migration, lackluster political narratives, and even missing voters for the no-shows.
Anoop Nautiyal from the SDC Foundation kicked things off by dropping the bomb that Uttarakhand ranked 19th out of 21 states in voter participation.
Yikes! He raised concerns about national security, given Uttarakhand's border status.
Senior journo Jay Singh Rawat pointed fingers at wedding season overlapping with voting dates and unaddressed infrastructure gripes as possible culprits.
He also suggested people might just be fed up with the usual political spiel.
Manoj Dhayani from ADR highlighted the migrant vote, saying folks might register but not follow through due to work commitments.
Varsha Singh chimed in about wonky voter lists and everyday issues dampening spirits, calling for a tech upgrade.
Dr. RP Mamgain dropped a truth bomb about floating voters feeling meh this time around.
Prof. Harsh Dobhal emphasized the neglect of local issues, urging more research.
Ranvir Singh Chaudhary wasn't feeling the hype of the election campaign, especially among the ladies.
Ravi Bijarniya praised the Election Commission's efforts but acknowledged falling short.
Archana Gwadi felt the youth were snoozing on voting, and Roli Pandey blamed migration once again, especially with the weekend plans already locked in.
Iris Chauhan highlighted the rise of youth candidates, signaling a shift from old-school politics.
Anil Sati bemoaned the lack of enthusiasm among women voters.
Summing up, Sanjeev Kandwal pushed for free rides to the polls and floated the idea of remote voting and more voting days.
Anoop Nautiyal wrapped things up, promising to pass on the hot goss to the Election Commission, stressing the need for action.
In a separate analysis, Nautiyal sounded the alarm over the disconcerting voter apathy plaguing hilly districts in Uttarakhand, emphasizing its grave implications for national security.
Nautiyal attributed this trend to the region's dearth of employment opportunities, educational facilities, and coaching centers, urging immediate attention from authorities and citizens alike.
"In these elections, we've hit reverse gear," remarked Nautiyal, citing a concerning decline in voter turnout despite previous upward trends.
He particularly highlighted the perilous nature of such a regression, especially in areas neighboring the international borders with China and Nepal.
Revealing startling statistics, Nautiyal disclosed that among Uttarakhand's 70 assembly seats, 18 had witnessed less than 50% voter participation, with certain constituencies recording even lower turnouts.
Notably, he pointed out districts such as Almora and Tehri Pauri as experiencing alarmingly low polling rates, with several constituencies falling below the 50% mark.
"This isn't just about politics; it's about our security," Nautiyal stressed. "We cannot afford to have such significant portions of the population disengaged from the democratic process, particularly in sensitive border regions."
Looks like Uttarakhand's got some soul-searching to do when it comes to hitting the polling booths!
ECI need to up its SVEEP activity and to check physically the presence of the voters on the ground zero.
