Traffic congestion, pollution, better jobs matter for Delhi voters: ADR

New Delhi, May 13 (IANS) Traffic congestion, water & air pollution and better employment opportunities were the top three voters' priorities in urban areas of the national capital, claimed the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) survey on Monday.

For the survey, around 3,500 voters in all the seven Lok Sabha seats of national capital were asked about their priorities and voting pattern.

It revealed for the urban voters in the national capital traffic congestion (49.67 per cent), air and water pollution (44.52 per cent) and better employment opportunities (43.07 per cent) were their top priorities, said the ADR in its NCT of Delhi Survey Report 2018.

However, the Delhi's administration's performance on top three voter priorities of traffic congestion (2.27 on a scale of 5), water and air pollution (2.29) and better employment opportunities (2.29) was rated as below average.

The report also claimed that the government has performed poorly in empowerment of women and security (1.85) and noise pollution (2.27) in urban Delhi.

In case of rural voters of the national capital, top priorities were higher price realisation for farm products (56 per cent), better employment opportunities (52 per cent) and electricity for agriculture (44 per cent).

The voters said the administration's performance was below average and rated the work done as 2.12 on a scale of 5 for higher price realisation for farm products, 2.17 for better employment opportunities and 2.25 for electricity for agriculture.

The ADR survey also pointed out that highest percentage of voters said Chief Minister candidate was the most significant reason (important 49 per cent and very important 39 per cent) in voting for a particular candidate in an election.

"This was followed by the candidate (important 62 per cent and very important 21 per cent) and the candidate's party (important 51 per cent and very important 21 per cent)," it said.

The survey also noted that for 84 per cent of the voters in the national capital their own opinion mattered most while deciding which candidate to vote for.

The survey also said that 94 per cent of the voters in the national capital were aware that distribution of cash, gifts was illegal.

"Even 97 per cent of the voters felt that candidates with criminal background should not be in Parliament or state assembly," it said, adding that only 32 per cent voters knew that they could get information on criminal records of the candidates.

The survey said, 37 per cent voters vote for candidates with criminal backgrounds because they are unaware about their criminal records of those candidates.

"Caste and religious considerations are also the key factors for 35 per cent of voters in choosing candidates with criminal backgrounds," it said, adding, "Other important factors in voting for criminal candidates were that candidate is powerful (35 per cent), cases against the candidate were not of serious nature (35 per cent) and that candidate otherwise does good work (32 per cent)."

The ADR voter survey, conducted between October and December 2018, covered 534 Lok Sabha constituencies with 2,73,487 voters participating in the exercise.