Slow Voter Turnout In Maharashtra, Higher Participation In Jharkhand By 11 AM

As of 11 AM on Wednesday, Maharashtra recorded a voter turnout of 18.14% in its single-phase Assembly elections. The turnout varied across districts, with Gadchiroli leading at 30.00%, while Nanded saw the lowest participation at just 13.67%. Major cities also reported modest turnout rates: Mumbai city at 15.78%, Mumbai Suburban at 17.99%, Nagpur at 18.90%, and Pune at 15.64%. Other districts like Kolhapur (20.59%) and Ratnagiri (22.93%) saw higher voter engagement.

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Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis, urged citizens to vote in large numbers, emphasizing the importance of democratic participation. “Voting is not just a right but a responsibility,” he said after casting his vote in Nagpur, alongside his wife and mother. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde also cast his vote in Thane, urging people to take part in the electoral process.

Jharkhand Sees Higher Voter Engagement

In contrast, Jharkhand reported a higher voter turnout of 31.37% by 11 AM in the second phase of its Assembly elections. Pakur district recorded the highest turnout at 35.15%, while Bokaro had the lowest at 27.72%. Other key districts, including Ranchi (34.75%) and Dumka (33.05%), also saw significant voter participation.

By-polls Across India Show Mixed Turnout

Elsewhere, various by-polls across India showed a mixed voter turnout. In Uttarakhand’s Kedarnath, 17.69% of voters cast their ballots, while in Kerala’s Palakkad, the turnout reached 24.95%. In Punjab, Gidderbaha saw a turnout of 20.91%, while Dera Baba Nanak reported 25.50%.

Political Leaders Participate in Voting

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan expressed confidence in the victory of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in both Maharashtra and Jharkhand, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier urged citizens to vote in large numbers.

Voting for the 288 seats in Maharashtra and the remaining 38 seats in Jharkhand continues today, with officials and political leaders stressing the importance of active electoral participation.