"Urban Apathy Continues": Election Commission On Gujarat Low Voter Turnout

Following the disappointing voter turnout in the first phase of the elections in Gujarat, the Election Commission on Saturday issued a special appeal to voters ahead of the next phase on Monday, urging them to reverse the "urban apathy".

"Surat, Rajkot and Jamnagar have recorded lower than state average of voter turnout of 63.3 per cent in first phase of Gujarat elections," the Election Commission said in a statement.

"While voting percentage increased in many constituencies, the average voter turnout figure is dampened by urban apathy of these important districts just as during recently concluded general election to the legislative assembly of Himachal Pradesh, urban Assembly Constituency of Shimla recorded the lowest at 62.53 per cent (less by 13 percentage points) as against the state average of 75.6 per cent," it said.