Lucknow administration mobilises BLOs to push up percentage in low poll areas

To ensure better voter turnout, especially in areas which have witnessed low voter turnout during previous polls, the Lucknow district administration has embarked on a novel initiative.

Lucknow will vote in the fifth phase on Monday.

Ahead of the poll, the local administration has posted volunteers and booth level officers (BLOs) in such areas that have witnessed low turnout, to actively engage with residents and to encourage greater electoral participation.

This is being attempted through targeted persuasion and awareness campaigns in such polling booths like those in Lucknow Cantt and Lucknow Central, with BLOs and volunteers working tirelessly to motivate voters.

District magistrate Suryapal Gangwar said: “We have selected 400 such booths which have a poor record of low voter turnout. In such booths our BLOs and supervisors along with their teams are visiting every house to ensure cent percent voting.”

He added: “The district administration’s renewed efforts reflect a broader commitment to ensure a robust democratic process by maximizing voter participation. Our eyes are on these historically low-turnout areas to see if the administration’s efforts will yield a significant improvement in voter engagement or not.”

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Lucknow Cantt witnessed the lowest voter turnout among the city’s five assembly constituencies, with only 50.77% of eligible voters casting their ballots. In 2014 elections, the turnout was even lower - a mere 49.7%. In Lucknow Central the voting percentage was just 53.92 compared to 53% in 2014. Lucknow East reported 55.7% in 2019, and 55.46% in 2014. The Lucknow North assembly reported 55.42% turnout in 2019 and 53.89% in 2014 while Lucknow West reported 55.29% in 2019 and 51.6% in 2014.

At booth number 366, located at a primary school in Topkhana in Lucknow Cantt, only 35 out of 991 registered voters participated in the last election. Similarly, at the Red Eagle School booth, just 21 out of 849 voters cast their votes.

Some areas in Cantt constituency like Alambagh, Chander Nagar, Bhim Nagar, and Adarsh Nagar, displayed better voting culture as compared to Sadar, Topkhana, Dilkusha, and Mall Avenue.

Areas near Era Medical College, situated along Mohan Road, have similarly recorded low voter turnout.

“To achieve improvement in voting percentage, the administration has thought of this newer initiative that includes door-to-door visits by BLOs, distribution of voting slips, informative pamphlets and community meetings. Additionally, social media platforms and local media are being leveraged to reach a broader audience,” Gangwar said.