As dust settled on noisy campaign for the much-delayed elections to Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), it’s over to citizens now, who apparently are in a bind on exercising their option for vote as their experience with Prabhag system is not that rosy. Notwithstanding the efforts put in by civic administration to drum up awareness for increasing the voting percentage, at ground level however there are murmurs of discontent. Owing to Prabhag system of representation, the citizens expressed their reservations, especially underlining a fact that political parties have not chosen any person from their area to contest the election.

 

This uneasiness among voters is being cited as main reason that many might just choose not to step out of their houses to exercise their franchise. In Prabhag system, although the voters have to cast in 4 votes to choose their representatives, post elections however the elected councillors are reluctant to expand their area of work apart from their immediate ward in the Prabhag. This was the general experience of people during previous term, when elected members would often ignore requests for help to resolve issues related to NMC services in case a person from adjoining ward approaches them. Often the ready answer on part of elected councillors was that they should go to the other elected councillor as they unofficially divided the Prabhag in four wards. There was unwritten commitment among the corporators that they would not interfere in other’s area of influence.

 

Talking to cross section of voters, one got an impression that most of them were unhappy that they might be pushed over while resolving their grievances as no one from their area is in the fray. Gone are days when the corporators would be at beck and call of citizens in case of issues with civic administration. Major issues that citizens raise as to administration is that of chokage of sewage line, which often remain unresolved for days altogether. So people said this time around, a trend is witnessed that parties have chosen outsiders, a person outside their Prabhag, to contest the election to NMC. Thus, people said in case of any requirement they would need to trudge long distance to reach out to elected councillor to solicit their help. Further the citizens contended that the outsiders who are elected might not take that much interest in the nominated areas by their parties owing to lack of understanding of the new areas. But beyond that the past experience is still fresh in mind of citizens, when they got lukewarm response in Prabhag system.

 

Another issue that matter is many a time of the 4 corporators, only one of them is quite active and so invariably the one is overburdened in servicing the Prabhag. So this naturally affects the response to citizens plaint. Citizens say a general perception among them is that it’s not worth to cast their votes as post election due to Prabhag system they would still be at receiving end of indifference of current political system. Even otherwise in urban areas, the voting percentage is always a matter of concern.