Chaos at Mumbai civic polls as voters struggle with booth changes and roll issues

Mumbai: Several voters in Mumbai faced difficulties casting their votes on Thursday during ongoing civic elections, citing changes in polling booths and trouble locating their names on physical electoral rolls. Election staff and party functionaries confirmed that some voter lists had poorly printed photographs, making verification challenging.

Many residents said their usual polling booths had been changed or merged without adequate prior notice. Some were seen moving between helpdesks to find their names on the rolls. Morning hours witnessed significant commotion at several polling stations across the city.

Kalachowki resident Sanjay Shinde said, “In the last two elections, we voted at a booth opposite Kalachowki police station. This time it was shifted to a BMC parking facility, and I struggled to find my name in the supplementary list.”

A Shiv Sena functionary from Parel added that several voters could not cast their votes early as their regular booths had been shifted, forcing some to leave for work without voting. In certain buildings, residents were assigned polling stations located far apart, while polling staff assisted voters in tracing their assigned booths.

A Vile Parle resident reported that despite submitting a declaration about his previous address in Dindoshi, his name still appeared with a double asterisk next to it. After presenting the form, officials asked him to submit another form before allowing him to vote.

In an unusual step, an 84-year-old retired professor submitted a list of four residents currently abroad to the G-North ward returning officer in Dadar, warning against potential impersonation attempts. The Returning Officer confirmed receiving the submission and shared a photograph of it with the polling officer for necessary action.

Civic polls are underway in 29 municipal corporations across Maharashtra, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. The State Election Commission reported a voter turnout of 29.22 per cent by 1.30 pm.

The confusion at polling stations highlights issues in voter list management and communication of booth changes. Election officials have acknowledged the challenges and are assisting voters where possible. The BMC elections, part of broader civic polls in Maharashtra, involve multiple wards with complex voter distributions, contributing to difficulties in locating names and verifying voter identity. The SEC continues to monitor polling progress to ensure a fair and transparent voting process.
(With PTI inputs)