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Gulzar, Kiran Rao & Junaid Khan Cast Votes in Key Maharashtra Civic Polls

Veteran poet Gulzar cast his vote in the Maharashtra local body elections, proudly displaying his inked finger. He was joined by film personalities Kiran Rao and Junaid Khan, who also participated in the democratic process. Polling is being held for 2,801 seats across 29 municipal corporations, with extensive arrangements made by the State Election Commission. The results of these crucial civic polls, involving millions of voters, will be declared on January 16.

Key Points: Celebs Vote in Maharashtra Local Body Elections

  • Celebrities fulfill democratic duty
  • Polling for 29 municipal corporations
  • 3.48 crore voters to decide 15,931 candidates
  • Counting of votes on January 16
2 min read

Maha local polls: Gulzar marks his vote, Kiran Rao and Junaid Khan join the electoral roll

Gulzar, Kiran Rao, and Junaid Khan were among the celebrities who cast their votes in the crucial Maharashtra municipal corporation elections.

"Mumbai please go and vote... - Maniesh Paul"

Mumbai, Jan 15

Veteran poet and lyricist Gulzar exercised his right in the ongoing Maharashtra local body elections, proudly showing off his inked finger after casting his vote. Producer Kiran Rao and singer-actor Junaid Khan were also seen at polling booths, fulfilling their democratic duty on Thursday.

The 91-year-old poet and lyricist was seen in his signature white kurta-pyjama, accompanied by a companion. After casting his vote, Gulzar paused for photographers outside the polling booth and proudly displayed his inked finger.

Soon after, Aamir Khan's former wife Reena Dutta, arrived at the polling booth with her actor son Junaid Khan and daughter Ira Khan. Kiran Rao, Aamir's second ex-wife, also cast her vote and posed for photographers, proudly showing her inked finger.

Actor Maniesh Paul took to his Instagram, where he shared a picture of himself showcasing his inked finger and flashing a smile at the camera.

For the caption, he simply wrote: "Mumbai please go and vote...#mp #vote."

Polling for the 29 municipal corporations began at 7.30 a.m. and will conclude at 5.30 p.m. According to the State Election Commission, arrangements have been made across 39,147 polling stations, equipped with 43,958 Control Units and 87,916 Ballot Units. In Mumbai, there are 10,111 polling stations with 11,349 Control Units and 22,698 Ballot Units.

Elections were originally scheduled for 2,869 seats, including 227 seats in the BMC. Polling is now being held for 2,801 seats, as 68 candidates were elected unopposed. No voting will take place for these uncontested seats. A total of 3.48 crore voters will decide the fate of 15,931 candidates, including 1,729 candidates in Mumbai alone. The counting of votes will take place on January 16.

Elections are being held in municipal corporations across major cities, including Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Nagpur, Nashik, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Kalyan-Dombivli, Vasai-Virar, Mira-Bhayandar, Solapur, Kolhapur, Amravati, Akola, Latur, Jalgaon, Dhule, Jalna, Chandrapur, Parbhani, Nanded-Waghala, Panvel, Bhiwandi-Nizampur, Malegaon, Sangli-Miraj-Kupwad, Ichalkaranji, Ahilyanagar, and Ulhasnagar.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Good to see the Khan family members, despite their personal dynamics, coming together for the common civic duty. Junaid and Ira voting for the first time? Hope the youth of Mumbai are inspired.
S
Sarah B
The scale of these elections is massive! Nearly 3.5 crore voters and over 15,000 candidates. It's a logistical marvel. Hope the high turnout leads to better local governance for issues like water and roads.
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Aman W
While it's great to see celebrities vote, the focus should remain on the candidates and their agendas. BMC elections decide our daily life - from garbage collection to public health. Let's hope for capable corporators.
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Karthik V
Manish Paul's simple Instagram post is actually quite effective. "Mumbai please go and vote" - short, direct, and reaches his young followers. Social media can be a powerful tool for civic engagement.
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Nisha Z
Respectfully, the article spends a lot on who posed for photos. I wish there was more analysis on the key issues in these polls - infrastructure, women's safety, and urban planning. That's what truly matters.
M
Michael C
The sheer number of polling stations and ballot units mentioned shows India's commitment to democratic processes. From Mumbai to smaller cities

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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