Mumbai, 15 Jan

Around 50 per cent polling was recorded in Mumbai and 28 other municipal corporations in Maharashtra on Thursday, amid a major controversy over claims that the ink applied on voters' fingers could be easily removed.

Speaking shortly after voting ended at 5.30pm, State Election Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare said the turnout in the 29 civic bodies was in the 46-50 per cent range. The exact polling figures will be declared later, another official said.

In the 2017 elections, the polling percentage in Mumbai was 55.53, while the average voting figure in 26 corporations - elections were held for the first time in Jalna and Ichalkaranji municipal corporations – was 56.35 per cent.

On Thursday, the spotlight was on Mumbai, where the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance was locked in an intense battle with the reunited Thackeray cousinsfor control of India's largest and richest civic body.

In the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), whose annual budget is over Rs 74, 400 crore, there were 1,700 candidates in the arena for 227 seats in the elections held after nine years, after a four-year delay.

More than 25,000 police personnel were deployed across Mumbai to oversee elections.

Polling for 2,869 seats across 893 wards in the 29 civic bodies began at 7.30 am and concluded at 5.30 pm. A total of 3.48 crore voters were eligible to decide the fate of 15,931 candidates.

Except for Mumbai, the 28 other urban bodies have multi-member wards. Vote count will begin at 10 am on 16 January.

The BMC elections faced significant delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Supreme Court rulings on OBC reservations, and issues related to ward delimitation.

The last BMC polls were held in 2017. The term of the corporators ended on 7 March 2022, and subsequent elections could not be held in time, resulting in the civic body being placed under an administrator.

As voting commenced Thursday morning, social media was flooded with videos of ordinary voters, politicians, and some mediapersons using Acetone to wipe off the ‘indelible’ ink on their fingers after voting.

The State Election Commission, however, rejected the allegations and warned of acting against those propagating such claims.

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray claimed irregularities in the civic polls, terming it an attempt to murder democracy, and urged voters to dislodge the “brutal, fraud, corrupt and dictatorial regime “ of the BJP.

Uddhav and his cousin Raj Thackeray, who heads the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, targeted the State Election Commission over a range of issues, besides claiming that the ink used on voters' fingers could easily be erased.

Addressing a news conference, Uddhav demanded the suspension of Waghmare, and alleged collusion between the poll body and the government.

Terming the SEC an anti-constitutional body, Uddhav said, “Never ever such things (alleged irregularities) have happened before”, and said the ink used by the poll commission could be erased using hand sanitisers.

Raj targeted the SEC over the use of the Printing Auxiliary Display Unit (PADU) in the civic polls.

The SEC did not even bother to give any clarification on the use of PADU and extended the canvassing time to allow distribution of money (by ruling parties), he alleged.

Raj Thackeray claimed that the State Election Commission is using a new pen, due to which the markings on the voter's fingers disappeared.

After casting his vote in the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) elections, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, “I have also been marked with a marker, is it erasing? Creating a ruckus on everything and raising questions is wrong.”

Ink applied to fingers with marker pens after casting vote in the municipal corporation elections can be removed easily and lead to bogus voting, Maharashtra minister Sanjay Shirsat said.

"It is true that the ink of marker pen is getting removed easily. There is a possibility of bogus voting at some places due to this. Polling agents and officials should pay strict attention to this," he told reporters.

A host of Bollywood personalities, including Akshay Kumar, Aamir Khan and Salman Khan, stepped out of their homes and voted in the Mumbai civic body polls with the hope that the "right" candidates will win and tackle crucial issues, from infrastructure challenges to pollution.

Actors Hema Malini, Saira Banu, Shabana Azmi, John Abraham, Ranbir Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Vicky Kaushal, Janhvi Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, Kartik Aaryan, Paresh Rawal and screenwriter Salim Khan, also exercised their franchise.

'Khiladi' actor Kumar, one of the first to arrive at his designated polling booth, underscored the significance of making informed voting choices rather than merely expressing grievances about civic issues. The 58-year-old superstar encouraged Mumbaikars to perceive this day as an opportunity to wield their "remote control" over public representatives.

"All the people of Mumbai must come out and vote, rather than complaining later about things like 'we don't have water, roads are not proper, and that there's no cleanliness, etc'. So, now it's our turn and we all should step out and vote for the right person. If you want to be the real hero of Mumbai, then instead of (mouthing) dialogues, come and vote, Kumar told reporters after casting his vote.

His actor-author wife, Twinkle Khanna, who also voted, said, “It gives us a sense of control, a little bit of power over the narrative. I'm voting out of habit and hope.”

Aamir Khan encouraged citizens to partake in the elections and lauded the BMC for making "good arrangements" at polling booths.

Ranbir Kapoor, too, praised the civic body for providing great facilities to voters during elections and even during festivities like Ganesh Chaturthi.

"We complain throughout the year saying, 'our city doesn't have this or that, and talk all the time about issues', so this is your time to come and vote, the 43-year-old 'Raajneeti' actor stated.

Actor-politician and BJP MP Hema Malini emphasised that it's essential to vote for the right candidate to ensure a "cleaner, safer, and pothole-free" Mumbai.

Hema Malini, along with fellow actors Nana Patekar, Suniel Shetty and musician Vishal Dadlani, appealed to Mumbaikars to step out and cast their vote.

Patekar travelled for three hours from Pune to fulfil his civic responsibility in Mumbai.

Cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar arrived with his wife, Anjali Tendulkar, and daughter, Sara Tendulkar, to cast his vote at the Pali-Chimbai Municipal School in Bandra.

Sachin emphasised the importance of the election, stating that it gives us a chance to express our opinions through voting.

After casting his vote in the Nagpur Municipal Corporation elections, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat highlighted the importance of citizen participation in a democratic setup.

Bhagwat said, "In a democratic setup, voting is needed to elect the government, and hence it is the duty of every citizen to vote.”

Sporadic glitches in EVMs were reported during Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) polls, but election officials said replacement machines were promptly installed as per procedure.

NCP (SP) leader Rohit Pawar said some incidents of EVMs shutting down were reported at the start of polling in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad municipal corporations.

Mumbai Congress president Varsha Gaikwad alleged large-scale misuse of money and power by the ruling BJP-led alliance in the BMC elections, but expressed confidence that her party would emerge victorious.

Dhule in North Maharashtra witnessed civic poll violence, including two groups scuffling and damaging an EVM and a mob attacking the residence of a Shiv Sena leader, police said.

The residence of Shiv Sena's Dhule district chief Manoj More at Krushi Colony in Deopur was attacked by 20 persons, an official said.

The mob barged into More's house, pelted stones and damaged vehicles, allegedly over a dispute between him and BJP's Vilas Shinde on withdrawing candidature, the official added.

Defying age and inspiring many, a 98-year-old former school teacher cast her vote in the Thane Municipal Corporation elections on Thursday, proving that duty to democracy knows no barriers.

Leela Shrotri, a resident of Parmar House at Tembhi Naka in Thane city and the great-grandmother of film actor Pushkar Shrotri, left onlookers in awe of her unwavering enthusiasm as she arrived at a polling booth at the BJ High School to cast her vote.