Mumbai, Jan 15 (UNI) Despite the chilly weather, citizens turned out in large numbers as voting began in Maharashtra’s municipal corporation elections, with Bollywood celebrities, politicians, and ordinary voters arriving early at polling stations.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, who cast his vote in Nagpur, urged people to exercise their democratic right, saying, “Voting is our fundamental right, and we should use it. I appeal to the people to come out and cast their votes in large numbers. We need to improve the system of voting; only then can voter turnout increase.”
After a gap of nearly nine years caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and other delays, municipal corporation elections are being held again, generating excitement among candidates, party workers, and voters alike.
For the first time, elections to all 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra are being conducted on the same day, including a high-stakes contest in Mumbai, where the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance is battling the reunited Thackeray factions for control of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
Minor complaints related to voting machines were reported at a few places in Pune, including one raised by Ganesh Bidkar, a BJP candidate from Pune city. However, barring such isolated incidents, voting is largely proceeding smoothly across the state.
The administration has made extensive arrangements, including heavy police deployment and special measures to help voters locate their polling booths and serial numbers.
The spotlight is on Mumbai, where the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance is locked in a high-stakes contest with the reunited Thackeray brothers for control of India’s largest and wealthiest civic body.
Polling for 2,869 seats across 893 wards began at 7:30 am and will continue until 5:30 pm., with a total of 3.48 crore voters eligible to decide the fate of 15,931 candidates. Of these, 1.81 crore are men, 1.66 crore are women, and 4,596 are other voters. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), with an annual budget of over Rs 74,400 crore, has 1,700 candidates contesting 227 seats after a four-year delay.
Voting is being conducted using electronic voting machines, with over 11,000 control units and 22,000 ballot units deployed in Mumbai, and more than 25,000 police personnel ensuring security. The vote count is scheduled for January 16.
