In a significant move aimed at increasing voter participation, the Election Commission of India is moving forward with plans to establish polling stations inside large residential complexes across Kolkata and its adjoining districts. The initiative, which could see booths set up even without explicit resident consent, targets complexes with substantial voter populations to make voting more convenient.
District Officials Submit Lists of Potential Sites
District Election Officers (DEOs) from seven districts, including Kolkata North and Kolkata South, have submitted a compiled list of 70 to 80 housing complexes where polling booths could be installed. This list has been sent to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of West Bengal for further processing. The identified complexes fall into two primary categories: those housing between 300 and 500 voters, and those with more than 500 voters.
An official from the CEO's office confirmed the development on Friday, stating, "We are compiling the information before sending it to Nirvachan Sadan (the Election Commission headquarters in Delhi). The EC will take a final call." The directive for this survey came from Senior Deputy Election Commissioner Gyanesh Bharti, who on Tuesday asked DEOs of eight districts to submit their lists by December 31. As of now, only the West Burdwan DEO is yet to submit their list.
Consent Not a Mandatory Prerequisite
A crucial aspect of this plan is the Election Commission's stated position that resident consent may not be an absolute requirement. Officials have indicated that the constitutional powers used to requisition private vehicles for election duty could similarly be invoked for private properties to set up polling booths if necessary.
"Once the complexes are selected, proposals for setting up polling booths will be sent to the respective residents' welfare associations," an official explained. However, the EC has made it clear that booths can be established even if residents withhold their consent, underscoring the commission's authority to ensure accessible voting facilities.
BJP Submits Extensive "Wish List", Aim is to Boost Voter Turnout
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been proactive in this process, being the only political party to formally submit a "wish list" of residential complexes. A Bengal BJP leader stated that their list contains names of approximately 400 housing complexes spread across key Lok Sabha constituencies like Kolkata North, Kolkata South, Jadavpur, and Dum Dum, as well as Bidhannagar and Rajarhat-New Town assembly segments.
"Our list covers a total of 28 assembly segments in and around Kolkata," the leader added. The primary motivation behind this drive is to improve the historically low voter turnout in Kolkata, which recorded a mere 48% polling percentage in the last Lok Sabha elections. The EC is encouraged by data from Delhi, where setting up booths in large housing complexes reportedly increased voter turnout by 15% in the last assembly polls.
The process began earlier with the CEO's office asking six districts to identify large complexes by December 6, but only Kolkata South DEO responded initially, naming two complexes. A renewed push came via a written communication on December 10, instructing DEOs to survey high-rise buildings, group housing societies, slums, and gated communities with at least 250 houses or 500 voters.
