Immediate concern: How to make voters reach booths in blazing sun?

Charanjit Singh Teja

Amritsar, May 31

Leaders and activists of political parties are a worried lot keeping in mind the intense heatwave sweeping the region. Apprehending a low voter turnout, they are planning ways and means of making arrangements to make voters reach polling booths.

Booth level activists of political parties held meetings today to make the arrangements of vehicles, especially air-conditioned cars to transport voters.

In 2019, the Lok Sabha election was held on May 19 with 66 per cent polling in Punjab. Amritsar had witnessed the lowest turnout in the state at 57 per cent. Though the Election Commission aimed at increasing it to 70 per cent this time round, political leaders are expecting further decline due to the heatwave.

“The day temperature would be around 44 degree Celsius and it would be hard to walk one or two kilometres to reach polling booths and stand in queues,” said Kuljeet Singh, a political activist from Malanwali village.

“In the scorching heat, the voters expect a mode of transport to reach polling stations. It has become a responsibility for political parties to accommodate them,” he said.

“In the past few years, it has become a trend that voters from lower middle class ask local leaders to arrange vehicles for polling booths while promising to vote in their favour. The volunteers of political parties accommodate women and elderly persons to reach booths in their personal vehicles,” said Gurpreet Singh, former MC Councillor from Kot Khalsa. “In the harsh weather condition, AC cars are needed to get a favour of voters otherwise the turnout would further decrease as compared to the last elections,” he said.