Karnataka voter turnout in first phase: 51 per cent
Average voter turnout in 2004: 61.4 per cent.
Bangalore city average voter turnout: 46.66 per cent
Average voter turnout in 2004: 51.5 per cent
Bangalore Rural: 57.92%; Bangalore South: 44.73%; Bangalore North 46.78; Bangalore Central: 45.25%
Blogs, internet chats, Jaago Re, Jai Ho!, Lead India, microsites, rock concerts, TV commercials… The 2009 general election has not been short of media noise. But has it really spurred youngsters to shut up and vote? Or is it all blather and brand building with an embedded social message?
Meenakshi Ravi of Al Jazeera‘s media show The Listening Post reports on how the Indian media has covered the world’s largest democratic exercise.
Also read: Sashi Kumar on media in the melting pot
Freakonomics: Is it smarter to sell my vote or cast it?
Tags: 2009 Elections, Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English, Churumuri, General Elections 2009, Meenakshi Ravi, Sans Serif
24 April 2009 at 8:07 pm
Lot of voters were not able to vote because their name was not on the list despite registering. But yes, that alone cannot be a reason for such a low turnout =/
24 April 2009 at 9:25 pm
The point to be noted is not the apathy of the educated, well informed middle and upper middle class voters. The real problem is the political parties themselves and the candidates who are selected to represented urban India.
Unlike in developed nations, candidates here do not really bother about the electorate. After elections they vanish without a trace and are not accessible to voters and do noting to solve real; problems such as improvement of law and order, speeding up infrastructure projects and ensuring transparency in government. As for the political parties, they spent the time blaming each other without any focus on the nation.God alone can save India
24 April 2009 at 10:05 pm
It only shows that Bangalore is more middle class than most other cities, and has in fact grown in affluence over the last five years.
The middle classes do not have a reason to cast a vote, apart from feeling a little superior for a short while.
Your “vote” matters only if a large number of you are voting for the same reasons, and all think alike on this matter.
Besides, when your interests are in the newspapers all the time, and reflected in the priorities of the government irrespective of the party in power, what does it matter if you vote or not?
24 April 2009 at 10:23 pm
Try this app on facebook, its fun
Game show for 15th Indian General Elections 09. Keep your friends active and alert during this election.
Be a Neta! contest from a constituency, post issues with interesting props to ask vote, take opinion poll, win and exchange points with friends.
Bharath ko jagavo istyle ma!
http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=44966119716
24 April 2009 at 11:45 pm
yes, many could not vote because their names were missing. BUt those whose were listed also did not vote. wonder why?!
25 April 2009 at 12:29 am
This is what happens when there is no difference between political parties and candidates. How can you choose when you are offered no options? As depressing as it may sound, it is the reality and things will only get worse.
25 April 2009 at 12:38 am
The migratory population and the elite do not vote. Both must be kicked out or must be made to payed heavily.
25 April 2009 at 3:22 am
The migratory population and the elite do not vote. Both must be kicked out or must be made to payed heavily.
***
looks like pinkos only keep shouting on web.
25 April 2009 at 7:30 am
Are all the issues being realistically addressed?? NO
They are so busy bikering about who will be the better P.M. Advani OR
Manmohan?? OR Mayawathi OR Sharad Pawar OR Lalu ???
The confusion thus created has ended up disuading the young to participate and they have finally decided to refrain be it at Bangalore be it
the rest of the country.
Our politicians are all very busy setting up their repeat their earnings for the next 5 years irrespective of what happens to Roads, Economy etc etc
God Alone Can Help Us
25 April 2009 at 9:06 am
Bangalore youth blog, dont bite !
Youth of Bangalore have famously let down themselves. I think they have lost a golden oppoturtunity to show they mean business..in the process have lost their crediblity..
Politicos must be having a good laugh at the noises made by these people who ducked on the D day. I was told many people in took advantage of Thursday poll holiday, took a day off on Friday and went on a long week-end !
26 April 2009 at 11:24 am
JaagoRe was a sincere, meaningful attempt. It actually provided a way to register yourself as a voter.
The rest were self-promotional exercises in disguise. ToI has lost all credibiltiy with everyone and whoever cares for a nondescript rock band which says shut up and vote.
A large portion of the blame has to be one the media (the largest portion of the blame ofcourse is on the voters) which focused on the same arithmetic and caste factors and communalism and mangalore pub attachks and varun gandhi and rahul gandhi and another gandhi for 3 months without concentrating on real issues that matter.