Patna: With urban constituencies traditionally recording lower voter participation, the Patna district administration has intensified efforts to encourage people to cast their ballots in the upcoming Bankipur assembly byelection. A comprehensive voter awareness campaign has been launched with special focus on polling stations that witnessed poor turnout in previous elections.Patna district magistrate-cum-district election officer Kundan Kumar has directed the Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) cell to step up awareness activities through both conventional and digital platforms.“As part of the campaign, the administration will organise rangoli competitions, painting and slogan-writing contests, social media outreach programmes and selfie points at strategic locations to encourage citizens, particularly women, first-time and young voters, to participate in the democratic process,” Kumar said.Officials have been instructed to identify polling booths that recorded comparatively low voter turnout in previous elections and conduct targeted awareness drives in those areas. Booth-level officers (BLOs), sector officers and election personnel will reach out to voters through door-to-door campaigns and community interactions, stressing the importance of every vote and the constitutional value of universal adult franchise.The district administration is also focusing on ensuring a free, fair and inducement-free election. Sector officers have been tasked with identifying vulnerable voters and sensitive localities, holding regular interactions with residents and taking confidence-building measures to ensure that voters can exercise their franchise without fear or influence.Appealing to citizens to participate enthusiastically, Kumar said, “Aware voters are the backbone of our vibrant democracy. Universal adult franchise is a precious constitutional right, and every eligible citizen should exercise it. A higher voter turnout will further strengthen our democratic system.”The renewed push comes in view of the voting pattern in the Bankipur assembly constituency, where turnout has remained modest compared to many other constituencies. In the 2020 Bihar Assembly election, Bankipur recorded a voter turnout of around 35.91%, while the overall state turnout was nearly 57.29%. It was 40.24% in 2015 and 41% in 2025.The constituency has also witnessed relatively low participation in earlier elections, reflecting the broader trend of lower polling percentages in urban seats due to voter apathy, migration, work commitments and other factors.