India, Dec. 11 -- In a bid to improve voter turnout in high-profile areas and housing complexes, the state election commission (SEC) has decided to allow polling booths in the city's housing societies for the BMC elections. Around 850 booths are expected to be set up.

Polling booths were put up in housing societies for the first time during the assembly elections in November 2024, which helped to increase voting in those areas. Taking a cue from this, both the SEC and the BMC hope to replicate the success in the civic body polls.

The apathy of Mumbaikars, especially in the city's tony areas, with regard to voting is legendary-for years, the city's voting percentage has hovered around 45% except in 2017, when it touched 55%, the highest ...