Akola electorate swells to 18.57L with 2.17L new voters

Nagpur: Akola Lok Sabha constituency saw a jump of 2.17 lakh new voters in comparison to 2014 Lok Sabha polls. A total of 18.57 lakh voters were registered so far and they are eligible to exercise their right over 2,000 booths to be set up across six assembly constituencies of the district. It included Akot, Balapur, Akola West, Murtijapur and Risod, which is a part of Washim district.

In 2014 polls, about 16.40 lakh voters were registered with the district collectorate. It means, there is a jump of 13.26% in the number of new voters. Out of the total 18,57,951 voters this year, about 9,62,576 are males and 8,92,159 females, 44 transgenders and 3,168 service voters, who are in armed forces and other services that make them serve at different places, away from their homes, according to Akola deputy collector Rajesh Khawale.

The district administration would be putting up over 2,006 booths across the constituency.

According to Khawale, if Risod (being part of Washim district) is excluded, then Akola district would have 15.55 lakh voters comprising 8.04 lakh males and 7.51 lakh females apart from 43 transgenders.

“We will be putting up 1,680 polling booths in five assembly constituencies under our collectorate’s jurisdiction while 71 more are proposed in view of the increased in number of voters,” he said, adding these numbers were excluding Risod.

The current MP Sanjay Dhotre has managed to pull it off for three times in a row since 2004. Due to this, BJP managed to achieve a hat-trick of victories in the constituency once considered a strong Congress bastion. In 2014 polls, Akola witnessed lowest number of nominations — seven, which was the lowest in entire Maharashtra.

CONSTITUENCY AT A GLANCE

Voters -------------18,57,951

Male --------------- 9,62,576

Female ------------ 8,92,159

Transgender ----- 44

Service voters --- 3,168

Voting ------------- April 18

Polling booths --- 2,006