The voting process for 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, faced disruptions like violence, technical glitches, and voter list discrepancies. In Jalgaon, a firing incident occurred during polling in Chalisgaon, leading to investigations by authorities and police to maintain order. Allegations of misarranged EVM machines causing confusion among voters in Jalgaon resulted in heated arguments between polling staff and local party workers.
Reports of EVM glitches were also noted in Pune Municipal Corporation, promptly addressed by replacing malfunctioning units with backup machines to ensure voting continuity. Unlike higher-level elections, VVPAT machines were not used in these local body polls, raising transparency concerns among Opposition leaders. Various irregularities, including voters removing ink marks and instances of alleged bogus voting, sparked tensions in several districts.
In Ambernath, police detained 208 women suspected of casting fake votes after being brought from Bhiwandi. Anomalies like one individual listed as the father of 268 voters in Panvel and reports of cash seizures and money distribution in different districts added to the election turmoil. The Maharashtra State Election Commission reported a 41.13% voting rate by 3.30 p.m. across the 29 Municipal Corporations, withholding the day’s final voting percentage to avoid disputes.
Among the municipalities, Kolhapur recorded the highest turnout at 50.85%, with Parbhani, Ahilyanagar, Malegaon, and others following suit. Conversely, Jalgaon, Mumbai, and Pune witnessed lower turnout percentages, highlighting varied participation rates across different civic bodies.
