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The silver lining – millennials exhibited higher levels of
political awareness and participation in local elections
Bengaluru, 24 April 2025: A new survey by Primus Partners reveals a major disconnect between urban citizens and their elected municipal representatives in India, hindering effective local governance and sustainable urban development. Covering more than 2,500+ urban citizens (54% men and 46% women) across 75+ cities, the study throws light on the challenges of citizen engagement, accountability and transparency within Urban Local Bodies (ULBs).
As India’s cities increasingly propel economic growth, the effectiveness of ULBs in providing essential services and infrastructure is indispensable. The survey notes that despite high electoral awareness, citizen participation remains low, with 40% of respondents either not voting or choosing NOTA. Moreover, while most respondents recognized their elected officials, low recall of campaign promises showed a lack of political accountability. A whopping 85% of respondents were either unaware or not involved in civic forums, indicating a significant ‘Community Participation Deficit’.
Communication and accessibility also emerged as core challenges. Not surprisingly, 42% of citizens reported never hearing from elected representatives and barely 7% found them approachable. The survey also disclosed that 80% of respondents were not aware of municipal budgets and 58% blamed service inefficiencies on weak governance structures, highlighting problems of transparency and coordination.
“The low civic participation emphasises a breakdown in mutual communication,” states Aarti Harbhajanka, Co-founder and MD of Primus Partners. “It’s apparent that this isn’t an issue about apathy. Rather, it deals with the popular perception that civic forums lack meaningful dialogue and concrete outcomes. Most interactions remain restricted to grievance redressal, rather than being an ongoing dialogue regarding development needs. Therefore, it’s time to rejig ‘citizen engagement’ by integrating it within planning cycles, budget deliberations and service offerings to inculcate a feeling of co-ownership.”
Shubham Katyayan, VP, Lead – Urban Transformation at Primus Partners, stresses the need for systemic change. “Effective communication, periodic updates and transparent processes are critical for inclusive urban governance. By equipping elected representatives with citizen-centric skills and reviving local participation platforms via technology, direct engagement between citizens and municipal authorities can be encouraged. Disengagement would then be transformed into active participation, creating a truly well-informed, empowered citizenry that drives accountability and responsiveness in urban systems.”
A significant proportion of respondents (70%) were below 40 years, with millennials (aged 30 to 40) forming the majority. This age group exhibited higher levels of political awareness and participation in local elections. However, their engagement remains sporadic, often motivated by immediate needs rather than sustained civic involvement. Nonetheless, this trend highlights the potential of millennials as key stakeholders in urban governance while underlining the need for strategies that harness their political awareness, aspirations and preferences to nurture long-term civic engagement.
Further, the survey results show that many people no longer consider local elections as meaningful, reflecting a deeper disillusionment with the potential of municipal governance to address actual social and economic needs. Accordingly, the survey findings reiterate the pressing need for renewed citizen-representative engagement alongside institutional reforms and participatory planning. Demystifying and augmenting municipal governance will help boost service delivery, ensuring cities continue driving inclusive and sustainable pan-India economic growth.
