In order to boost voter turnout in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections 2024, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) declared a 10 per cent discount for commuters on the Mumbai Metro on May 20, the polling day in Mumbai.

“Passengers travelling on Metro Lines 2A and 7 will benefit from a unique 10 per cent discount on May 20, 2024, coinciding with the Lok Sabha elections. Utilising Mumbai 1 Card, Paper QR, and paper tickets, Mumbai Metro commuters will enjoy a special 10 per cent discount on the base fare, facilitating travel to and from polling stations on election day. This initiative by Mumbai Metro aims to encourage voter participation among Mumbaikars. With Mumbai Metro`s ridership already reaching a staggering 90 million, this initiative further underscores the importance of Metro Lines in meeting the transportation needs of the MMR,” the MMRDA said.

The MMRDA added that residents from all corners of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region would be travelling to cast their votes in the Lok Sabha elections 2024. “Hence, on May 20, 2024, Mumbai Metro embraced the noble initiative of providing discounts to its valued commuters. This proactive measure allows MMR citizens to reach their designated polling stations and fulfil their democratic duty with enhanced convenience. Furthermore, this intuitive step contributes to passenger satisfaction with the Mumbai Metro`s services,” it elaborated.

As per MMRDA, the Mumbai Metro is actively engaged in SVEEP (Systematic Voter Education and Electoral Participation) to inspire metro commuters to fulfil their civic responsibility by participating in elections. This initiative seeks to encourage citizens to contribute to the nation by exercising their fundamental right to vote.

The city will vote on May 20 and the counting will be held on June 4.

Of the 48 seats in Maharashtra, Mumbai accounts for six, while the adjoining Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) has four. Mumbai’s six seats include Mumbai North, Mumbai North East, Mumbai North West, Mumbai North Central, Mumbai South and Mumbai South Central. The MMR has Thane, Kalyan, Bhiwandi and Palghar.

In 2019, three of Mumbai’s seats went to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — Gopal Shetty (Mumbai North), Manoj Kotak (Mumbai North East) and Poonam Mahajan (Mumbai North Central). The remaining three were won by the Shiv Sena — Gajanan Kirtikar (Mumbai North West), Rahul Shewale (Mumbai South Central) and Arvind Sawant (Mumbai South).

However, between 2019 and 2024, the Sena has split into Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde-led and Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) factions; and the Nationalist Congress Party has Ajit Pawar and Sharad Pawar factions.

The elections will be fought with two alliances – the ruling Mahayuti comprising BJP, NCP (Ajit Pawar) and Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) faction and the MVA or Maha Aghadi, with Sena (UBT), NCP (Sharad Pawar) and Congress.

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