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Maharashtra Civic Polls See 29.22% Voter Turnout by 1:30 PM Amid Complaints

Voting for Maharashtra's 29 municipal corporations recorded a moderate 29.22% turnout by 1:30 pm on Thursday. Early trends showed a sluggish response, with Mumbai seeing only 7.12% voting by 9:30 am. Prominent figures, including Uddhav Thackeray, voted but raised serious concerns about technical glitches, missing voter names, and election ink. The polls are being closely watched in major urban centers, with counting scheduled for Friday.

Key Points: Maharashtra Civic Polls: 29.22% Voting Till 1:30 PM

  • 29.22% turnout across 29 corporations
  • Technical glitches and ink issues reported
  • Results expected Friday, January 16
  • Major urban centers like Mumbai and Pune voting
2 min read

Maharashtra civic polls records 29.22% voting till 1:30 pm across 29 Municipal Corporations

Maharashtra's 29 municipal corporation elections record 29.22% voter turnout by 1:30 pm. Key figures vote amid technical glitch complaints.

"blatant attacks on democracy - Uddhav Thackeray"

Mumbai, January 15

Voting in Maharashtra's municipal corporation elections recorded a moderate turnout of 29.22 per cent across all 29 municipal corporations till 1:30 pm, according to reports from Maharashtra State Election Commission.

Polling began at 7:30 am on Thursday and will continue until 5:30 pm, with vote counting scheduled for Friday, January 16. Early trends indicated a sluggish voter response, with only 7.12 per cent of voters casting ballots in Mumbai by 9:30 am.

By 11:30 am, the overall voter turnout across the state reached 17.41 per cent. Among Mumbai's wards, Ward 18 recorded the highest turnout at 11.57 per cent, while Ward 162 registered the lowest at 1.68 per cent.

Several prominent political figures were among the early voters. Maharashtra Minister Ganesh Naik and his family cast their ballots at Bonkode polling station, while former Rajya Sabha MP Subhash Chandra criticised higher-income voters for complaining but failing to vote.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Anand Dubey and Anil Parab also voted in Mumbai, raising concerns over technical issues at polling stations. Dubey pointed out glitches on the Election Commission website and inconsistencies in digital ballot displays, while Parab claimed the election ink could be wiped off, suggesting potential tampering.

Shiv Sena UBT chief and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray also expressed strong criticism of the process, citing missing voter names, old EVM machines, and ink irregularities. Thackeray termed these developments as "blatant attacks on democracy" and linked them to broader concerns about the "One Nation One Election" proposal.

Meanwhile, director Ashutosh Gowariker's brother, Avinash Gowariker, expressed frustration over the absence of voting slips, which caused delays and confusion despite otherwise smooth polling arrangements.

The municipal corporation elections are being closely watched in major urban centres, including Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Nashik, and Pimpri-Chinchwad, after an intense campaigning period.

Polling will continue till 5:30 pm, with final results expected on Friday, January 16. Authorities have urged voters to participate actively to ensure a smooth and representative electoral process.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

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Priya S
The technical glitches and missing voter names are very concerning. If people face these issues, no wonder the turnout is low. The Election Commission needs to be more prepared. Democracy only works when the process is smooth and trustworthy. 🤔
A
Avinash Gowariker
I was at the polling station today. The arrangements were good, but the absence of voting slips caused unnecessary confusion and delay for many. Such small oversights can discourage voters. Hope the authorities streamline this for future elections.
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Sarah B
As an expat following from abroad, I find the turnout figures and the reported issues quite interesting. Local governance is so crucial for daily life. I hope the afternoon sees a surge in voting. The ward-wise variation is also a telling statistic.
K
Karthik V
Subhash Chandra ji is absolutely right. The same people who have long discussions about politics over chai are nowhere to be seen at the polling booth. BMC elections decide the fate of our city. Let's not take this lightly. Jai Maharashtra! 🇮🇳
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Meera T
While I understand the concerns raised by leaders, I feel some allegations about ink tampering and old EVMs should be backed by solid proof before being stated so strongly. It can create unnecessary panic and distrust among common voters like us.
V

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