Mumbaikars maintained their track record of a low turnout in general elections with an estimated 55.11% voting registered for its six Lok Sabha seats on Monday. This however, is the highest since 1991, and nearly 4% more than 51.59% in 2014.
Mumbai’s polling percentage has been consistently low with 41.41% turnout in 2009, 47.15% in 2004, 44.86% in 1999, 50.26% in 1998, 45.10% in 1996, and 41.60% in 1991.
As per data from the office of Maharashtra’s Chief Electoral Officer, the Mumbai North seat where incumbent Gopal Shetty of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is facing Urmila Matondkar (Congress) has recorded the highest turnout at 59.32% as against 53.07% of 2014.
Mumbai North East constituency, where Sanjay Dina Patil of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Manoj Kotak (BJP) fought it out is second highest with 56.31%, closely followed by Mumbai South Central at 55.35%.
Mumbai North West where incumbent Sena MP Gajanan Kirtikar is being challenged by Sanjay Nirupam (Congress) registered 54.71% polling, while Mumbai North Central, where sitting BJP MP Poonam Mahajan and Priya Dutt (Congress) are locked in tough battle, recorded 52.84% polling.
Mumbai South, where the sitting Sena MP Arvind Sawant is locked in a tight contest with Milind Deora (Congress), is the only constituency to record a dip since 2014. Till last reports came in only 52.15% votes had been registered as against 52.49% in 2014. The number is however expected to increase on Tuesday.