Mumbai: RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das on Monday casts his vote with his family in the ongoing fifth phase of voting in Mumbai. The Governor arrived with his wife at the polling station at Activity School, Peddar Road, Mumbai. Polling was underway since 7 am in six Lok Sabha constituencies in Mumbai and seven other seats in Maharashtra.
After casting the vote, the RBI Governor urged all the voters to vote as this is a right in our parliamentary democracy and everyone should exercise it. He further congratulated the Election Commission of India for conducting smooth elections.
Das said, "It's a very proud moment for every Indian. It's a moment of pride to participate in an election of 140 crore people. The process of voting today was very smooth and I would like to congratulate the Election Commission of India and all the officials who have been working throughout the country."
Appealing to the voters to cast their votes, he said, "It is really a pride moment for every Indian to vote in these elections. I appeal to every voter to come out and vote".
Union Minister and BJP candidate from the Mumbai North Lok Sabha seat, Piyush Goyal, also cast his vote at a polling station in Mumbai. Businessman Anil Ambani also voted early in the morning at a booth in south Mumbai where his residence is located. After casting his vote Goyal said, "This election has given me the opportunity to meet several people and take their blessings. Being a Mumbaikar, the way people have hosted me is a wonderful feeling...My family members have come from abroad to exercise their right to vote."
Polling began Monday morning for 13 of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, including six in Mumbai, in the fifth and last phase of general elections in the state, an official said. Voting began at 7 am in 24,553 polling centres and will end at 6 pm.
Altogether 2.46 crore persons are eligible to cast vote to decide the fate of 264 candidates in Mumbai North, Mumbai North Central, Mumbai North West, Mumbai North East, Mumbai South Central, Mumbai South, Thane, Kalyan, Bhiwandi, Palghar, Nashik, Dindori and Dhule seats.
Union ministers Piyush Goyal, Bharati Pawar and Kapil Patil are among the key nominees of the BJP, which has also fielded lawyer Ujjwal Nikam. Shiv Sena's Shrikant Shinde and Mumbai Congress chief Varsha Gaikwad are also in the fray.
Of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, polling in 35 seats was held in four phases on April 19, April 26, May 7 and May 13. Votes will be counted on June 4. In the last four phases, the average voter turnout was 62.9 per cent, an election official said. In the 2019 elections, the average for these constituencies was 62.5 per cent.
The Election Commission on Sunday pointed out that Mumbai, Thane and Lucknow have shown apathy towards voting in the past and asked these city dwellers to turnout in higher numbers. The poll authority noted that in the past these cities have "suffered" from urban apathy in voting.
Read More
