Largest ward, smallest number of voters

With the redrawing of wards for the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, the Gorai belt in far northern end of the city—developed over the last five to six year—-had the lowest voter turnout in 2002.

This middle-class area encompassing Gorai Sector 2, old MHB colony and the Gorai village across the Gorai Khadi and EsselWorld is geographically largest and has a large section of people (about 60 per cent), who have mostly shifted from different parts of Mumbai, living on rent. Their names do not figure in the voter’s list for Ward no 8. This ward—the erstwhile Ward no’s. 154 and —55-now has around 27,000 voters from a population of over 50,000.

For instance, the case of Gorai Shivganga Cooperative Housing Society in Sector 2. Of the 22 flat owners in the five-floor tower, only three have enrolled in the list. All the others are still listed in their previous areas of residence.

“My family is not listed in the voter’s list. I shifted here two years ago from Andheri but the BMC never came here to do the survey. Names of some of the people who went through the Shiv Sena shakha were added,” says the society’s treasurer Prabhakar Gawde.

Residents are also upset over the fact that the relocation of the Gorai dumping ground has not yet begun. There are no municipal schools or Sulabh Sauchalay in the area. Water supply is inconsistent and insufficient.

“People have become apathetic towards the elections. They do not bother as their demands have not been met over the years,” says Subodh Shringarpure, resident of the same building who has the voter’s card.

“This is the area with the lowest voters. The reason for it is that many residents stay on rent for a few months and go away. Moreover, the residents who have shifted in the last two-three years, are still in the list of their previous areas,” says Shiva Shetty, Congress candidate from Ward number 8, “This will definitely affect the elections.”

“On the link road most of the residents are new. They have not been added to the list and those staying on rent keep changing residence every 11 months. This will have about 30 per cent effect in the upcoming elections,” says Sadanand Surve, a first time candidate from Shiv Sena.

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