Mumbai, Nov 20 (PTI) Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das and leading captains of the industry, including the Ambani family, cast their votes in the financial capital for the Maharashtra Assembly elections on Wednesday.
Das went to exercise his franchise with his wife at a booth in south Mumbai early in the morning, and complimented election officials for the arrangements.
Led by richest Indian Mukesh Ambani, the Ambani family, who stays close to the RBI Governor's official bungalow, also came to vote at the same centre later in the day.
Ambani was accompanied by sons Akash and Anant, and daughter in law Shloka at the voting booth. The billlionaire's wife Nita and daughter Isha came in separately later in the evening to cast their votes.
Former chairman of HDFC Deepak Parekh also voted in a south Mumbai neighbourhood, and appealed everybody to vote pointing to his swift experience at the booth.
Amid concerns on low turnouts repeatedly in the financial capital, the outspoken financial services industry veteran questioned the reasons for the reluctance to participate in the process despite incentives like a public holiday being thrown in.
As of 1700 hrs, the voting percentages in the city and the suburban areas stood around 50 per cent as against over 58 per cent in the entire state.
Keki Mistry, Parekh's long-time colleague who retired as the vice-chairman and chief executive of HDFC, also exercised his franchise at another booth nearby.
Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran also cast his vote in south Mumbai, and called voting a privilege that everybody should exercise.
Industrialist Ajay Piramal also voted with his wife Swati near his residence in the financial capital. He, too, urged all voters to step out and exercise their franchise.
Swati Piramal, an author, said the new government needs to focus on children's, women's issues and health.
Aditya Birla Group Chairman Kumarmangalam Birla's wife Neerja also voted at a booth close to the family's residence in a tony south Mumbai locality.
Textile and realty major Raymond's Gautam Singhania and construction-focused HCC's Ajit Gulabchand were among the other notable captains of the industry who exercised their franchise.