Karnataka Election 2023: Bengaluru disappoints again; chooses holiday over vote
Despite several companies declaring a day off for citizens to exercise their voting rights in the Karnataka Election 2023, Bangalore Urban recorded a voter turnout of only 53.08 per cent.
FollowThe largest IT corporations in the world's Silicon Valley of India have made the most negligible contribution to Karnataka's election of a government. Bengalureans are well-known for their activism against pressing concerns like infrastructure, signing petitions for a cause, and participating in street protests. However, Bengalureans become tepid when it comes to polling. And on Wednesday, the city disappointed once again.
Also read: Will the 2018 'Nataka' be re-enacted in Karnataka in 2023?
Voting for the Karnataka Assembly Election 2023 ended at 6 pm on May 10, with the latest data showing the state's overall voter turnout at 67.49 per cent at 8 pm.
Despite several companies declaring a day off for citizens to exercise their voting rights, Bangalore Urban recorded a voter turnout of 53.08 per cent. The voter turnout in BBMP Central was 54.45 per cent, BBMP North was 50.02 per cent, and BBMP South registered a voter turnout of 50.21 per cent. Bangalore Rural, however, recorded a voter turnout of 76.10 per cent.
* Source: Voter Turnout App; data as on May 10, 8 pm
The Election Commission of India voiced concern over the low voter participation in Bengaluru while announcing this year's assembly elections schedule. Rajiv Kumar, the chief election commissioner (CEC), stated that urban indifference is concerning because the Bengaluru region—BBMP (South), BBMP (North), BBMP (Central), and Bangalore Urban—recorded the lowest voter turnout in the 2013 and 2018 state assembly elections.
The voter turnout in Bengaluru during the 2018 Karnataka assembly polls was 57 per cent. While in the same year, Karnataka registered a voter turnout of 72.13 per cent. During the 2013 assembly elections, 62 per cent of eligible voters showed up to cast their ballots. Bengaluru performed even worse during the 2014 and 2019 general elections, with 56 and 54.1 per cent voter turnout, respectively.
Also read: Karnataka Exit Poll Results 2023: BJP, Congress set for photo-finish on May 13
Karnataka is witnessing a three-cornered contest between the ruling BJP, the Congress and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda's Janata Dal (Secular). A total of 5.31 crore electors were eligible to vote in 58,545 polling stations across the state, where 2,615 candidates are in the fray.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier on Wednesday urged the people of Karnataka to vote in large numbers and enrich the "festival of democracy". Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi too, appealed to the people of Karnataka to vote in large numbers to build a progressive and a "40-per-cent-commission-free" state.
The Asianet News-Jan Ki Baat Exit Poll has indicated that on May 13, the Bharatiya Janata Party would emerge as the single largest party. The Exit Poll data suggests the verdict could unravel like:
The Exit Poll projects that the BJP is likely to get 94-117 seats in the Karnataka elections. In this close contest, the Congress party is projected to get anywhere between 91-106 seats and JDS is projected to get seat share in the range of 14-24 seats and others could land up with 0-2 seats.
Read more: Asianet Suvarna News-Jan Ki Baat Karnataka Election 2023 Exit Poll predicts advantage BJP
