EC Identifies 266 LS Seats With Lower Voter Turnout; Says ‘One Size Fits All’ Approach Won’t Work

New Delhi, Apr 5: On April 5th, the Election Commission addressed low voter turnout in certain constituencies and released a plan to boost participation. After analyzing data from the 2019 polls, they identified 266 parliamentary seats – including 215 rural areas and 51 urban – that had significantly lower turnout than the national average of 67.4%.

11 states like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi saw below average turnout as well. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar stressed different strategies are required for diverse regions. They will focus outreach on these constituencies prior to the April 19th national elections.

Targeted interventions include improved facilities at polling stations for easier voting. Volunteers will assist with crowd management and parking in congested urban areas. Local community leaders, resident welfare associations and youth will encourage voting.

Tailored communication matches each area's demographics. Regional-specific programs address unique hurdles. For cities, optimizing queues in high-rises will get emphasized. Behavior change through influential stakeholders is key.

Last time, 17 of the 50 lowest turnout seats were large cities. This shows urban apathy needs proactive solutions. Collective efforts aim to enhance participation. The scale of nearly 30 crore eligible non-voters in 2019 underscores the task.

Booth-wise action plans aim to maximize turnout. Officials will plan interventions for different target groups. A collaborative approach seeks to strengthen grassroots engagement and democratic empowerment across India.