Now, token system in 250 poll centres

Mumbai: For the first time, Mumbai will have a token system to avoid long queues during voting. However, it remains to be seen if the system is made available only to the elderly or to all citizens. The city collector’s office has mooted the idea and as an experiment, the system will be introduced in around 250 centres.

Mumbai city collector and chief officer of the election for the city, Shivajirao Jondhale, said that the Mumbai city election office is working on the token system. A majority of voters turn up early or in the afternoon or during the last few hours on voting day, causing serpentine queues.

“As per the Election Commission’s order, we give direct entry to senior citizens and persons with disabilities to cast their vote first and we don’t make them wait in the queue. Sometime due to the number of senior citizens, others have to wait.”

It is to avoid such a scenario that the Mumbai city election office is working on the token system. “This token system will work like the ones practised in banks,” said Mr Jondhale. At the centres where the token system will not be implemented, people with disabilities (PWD) and senior citizens will be given first priority as per Election Commission rules.

There are a total 522 voting centres in Mumbai city. Election officers have decided to set up the token system at 200 to 250 centres. “We are zeroing in on centres where this system will be set. We are trying to finalise centres that have enough space to create a waiting area. It will take a week’s time,” said Farogh Mukadam, deputy chief electoral officer for Mumbai city.

During the Lok Sabha elections 2019, MNS chief Raj Thackeray had to stand in queue for more than one and a half hour following which he filed a complaint with the Election Commission.