At 121,827, Pune leads in 85+ voter category in Maharashtra

In what reflects the prominence of elderly voters in the district as also the efforts undertaken by local authorities to make sure that their voices are heard, Pune district has recorded the highest number of voters aged 85 and above (121,827) as per data shared by the Election Commission.

Coming close on the heels of Pune are Mumbai suburban at second place with 93,040 voters aged 85 and above, and Nashik at third place with 60,564 such voters.

Whereas districts such as Gadchiroli, Bhandara and Gondia have recorded the lowest number of elderly voters at 6,634; 8,422; and 9,149 respectively

With the state assembly elections inching closer, the focus on elder representation is set to play a crucial role in Maharashtra’s electoral landscape with Pune leading the way, acknowledging the invaluable contribution of its senior citizens.

Makrand Tilloo from Navchaitanya Hasyayog Parivar who runs the Hasyayog Centre for senior citizens, said, “It is good that Pune has the highest number of senior citizen voters across the state. Hence, Pune is known as a ‘Pensioners’ Paradise’. While we celebrate this, we would also like to request the district administration to create an atmosphere that allows senior citizens to vote easily so that they can participate in large numbers.”

Tilloo said that senior citizens cannot stand in queues for a long time due to physical, mental and medical challenges. Due to this, some senior citizens avoid casting their votes. Hence, preference should be given to senior citizens at every polling station.

Tilloo also highlighted that since the last few years, there have been several incidents of the names of senior citizens going missing from the voters’ list.

“Despite their enthusiasm, many senior citizens are unable to cast their vote as their names go missing from the voters’ list. The administration should fix such issues so that senior citizens can participate in large numbers in the festival of democracy,” Tilloo said.

At 88,536, Pune district also has the highest number of voters with disabilities (PwD) followed by Thane and Solapur with 37,854, and 29,358 such voters, respectively.