The Maharashtra government is relying on office-bearers of housing societies to spread voter awareness and improve polling percentage in the Lok Sabha elections in the state. The government, through its cooperatives department and collectorates, has reminded housing societies about its seven-year-old directive to make their presidents and secretaries “booth-level volunteers” to ensure 100 per cent voting on their premises. The department had issued a directive in 2012 to office-bearers of housing societies asking them to make audit of their respective society mandatory and furnish a list of shifted, dead and new voters before July 31 every year. “This directive is still very much relevant and we are reminding the office-bearers of housing societies to ensure 100 per cent voting in coming elections,” an official said. However, Dharmin Sampat, honorary secretary, Co- operative Societies Residents, Users and Welfare Association, is not impressed with the government’s move. “Authorities are trying to shift the responsibility to the office-bearers who render their services with zero pay. The government should devise mechanism to ensure 100 per cent voting,” he said.

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