Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar emphasized that despite Bihar's historical significance as the birthplace of democracy and its populace's noted political awareness, there remains a pressing concern regarding low voter turnout in the state.
Speaking at a press conference in Patna as part of his comprehensive review of electoral preparedness ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, Kumar underscored Bihar's esteemed status as the "mother of democracy," drawing parallels to the ancient republic of Vaishali.
Despite the state's reputation for political consciousness, Kumar lamented the subpar voter participation, citing statistics from the 2019 elections where Bihar's turnout not only fell below the national average but ranked second lowest nationwide, surpassed only by Jammu and Kashmir.
To address this issue, the Election Commission has initiated various measures, particularly targeting segments with notably low voter engagement. Kumar highlighted concerns regarding urban areas, noting that 12 out of 16 predominantly urban assembly segments witnessed turnout below the state average.
Furthermore, the Commission identified 14% of polling booths with turnout significantly lower than the state average, with specific attention given to 31 assembly segments across nine districts exhibiting substantially reduced female voter participation.
In response, district electoral officers have been directed to employ targeted communication strategies, leveraging local dialects through mediums such as FM radio channels and social media platforms to bolster voter engagement.
Kumar expressed optimism about the potential impact of an increased youth demographic on overall turnout, noting that Bihar currently boasts over two crore voters under the age of 30, including 9.26 lakh first-time voters aged 18-19 and approximately 1.6 crore individuals aged 20-29.
Highlighting progress in gender parity, Kumar noted a steady rise in the electoral gender ratio since 2014, with 117 out of 243 assembly segments surpassing the state average. The electorate includes 3.64 crore female voters and 2,290 transgender voters.
Additionally, provisions have been made to accommodate voters with disabilities and elderly citizens, with facilities such as wheelchair access at polling booths. Kumar reaffirmed the continuation of measures introduced during the 2020 Bihar assembly polls, including the option for senior citizens with disabilities to cast their votes from home.
In sum, while Bihar's democratic legacy and politically aware populace remain pillars of its identity, concerted efforts are underway to address the challenge of low voter turnout and ensure inclusive participation in the electoral process.
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