Voting Completed In 23 Local Bodies In Maharashtra

Voting for the posts of president and members in 23 municipal councils and nagar panchayats across Maharashtra, as well as for 143 vacant member posts in these local bodies, got over at 5.30 pm on Saturday, officials said.

Prominent local bodies included Baramati in Pune district and Ambernath in Thane district.

Polling started at 7.30 am. Till afternoon, the State Election Commission said 47.04% of the electorate had cast their votes. The final turnout figure will be shared on Sunday, officials said.

Six wards in Nashik district’s Sinnar, Ozar and Chandwad that went to polls on Saturday recorded 49.47% voting. In Ward No. 2 in Sinnar, a 25-year-old man was taken into custody for allegedly attempting to vote by impersonating his brother using a fake Aadhaar card, they said.

Counting of votes for all 286 municipal councils and nagar panchayats, including those that went to polls on December 2, will begin at 10 am on December 21 (Sunday), the State Election Commission has said.

In the first phase, votes were cast for 263 municipal councils and nagar panchayats.

Elections to choose members and the presidents of Dondaicha municipal council and Angar nagar panchayat were unopposed. The polls for the selection of the Jammer municipal president also remained a no-contest affair.

In some places, the ruling alliance partners, including the BJP, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar's NCP, are contesting against each other.

The poll battle became multi-dimensional with the BJP-led Mahayuti and the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) locking horns, interspersed by 'friendly fights' among the alliances.