Mumbai recorded an average voter turnout of 6.98 per cent in the first two hours of BMC polling.
Ward-wise data showed turnout ranging from 11.57 per cent to as low as 1.68 per cent by 9.30 am.
Actors Akshay Kumar, Twinkle Khanna and Sanya Malhotra were among early voters urging public participation.
Mumbai Civic Polls: 6.98% Turnout In The First Two hours, Celebrities Vote Early In Mumbai
Polling began at 7.30 am under tight security, with wide ward-wise variations in turnout across Mumbai
Summary
An average of 6.98 per cent of voters exercised their franchise in the first two hours of polling for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections on Thursday.
Polling began at 7.30 am amid tight security arrangements across Mumbai and will continue until 5.30 pm. The average voter turnout stood at 6.98 per cent till 9.30 am, a BMC spokesperson said, PTI reported.
Data released by the civic body showed wide variations in voter participation across wards. The highest turnout of 11.57 per cent was recorded in ward number 18 in the western suburbs, while the lowest turnout of 1.68 per cent was reported in ward number 162 in the eastern suburbs during the same period.
Several film industry figures were among those who stepped out early to vote on Thursday morning. Actor Akshay Kumar was one of the early voters and urged Mumbai residents to participate in the civic polls and choose their representatives carefully.
Speaking to reporters after casting his vote, Kumar said polling day was when Mumbaikars had the “remote control” in their hands. Rather than complaining later about issues related to electricity, water supply and road infrastructure, people should come out and vote, PTI reported. “So, now it’s our turn and we all should step out and vote to elect the right person. If you want to be the real hero of Mumbai, then instead of dialogues, you should come and vote,” he said.
Kumar’s wife, actor and author Twinkle Khanna, also cast her vote. She said voting gave citizens “a little bit of power over the narrative”, adding that she was voting “out of habit and hope”, according to PTI.
Actor Sanya Malhotra and musician Vishal Dadlani were also seen exercising their franchise during the morning hours.
The electoral contest in Mumbai is between the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance and the alliance led by cousins Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray for control of the cash-rich civic body, which has an annual budget of more than Rs 74,000 crore.
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(With inputs from PTI)
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