Mumbai: The Maharashtra State Election Commission (SEC) has requested the Election Commission of India (ECI) to defer its plan for Special Intensive Revision (SIR), if any, until the local body polls.
Though the SEC sent the letter to the ECI on September 9, a response is still awaited. If the ECI proceeds with the drive, it could pose a challenge for state officials, who will be occupied with local body elections.
Interestingly, the SEC and the state government are equally concerned about the polls in view of the ongoing relief work for the flood-affected areas.
The Supreme Court had directed the SEC to complete the local body polls by January 31. The SEC is currently coordinating with the district collectors for the timely completion of the programme, which includes elections to all 29 municipal corporations, all 247 municipal councils, 42 nagar panchayats out of 147, 32 out of 34 zilla parishads, and 336 out of 351 panchayat samitis.
In September, the SEC had conveyed its inability to conduct SIR until January 2026.
Delimitation of wards of zilla parishads and panchayat samitis is complete and the process of ward delimitation for municipal corporations, councils and nagar panchayats is due to be completed shortly, the SEC has stated. After this, the officials will undertake the process of bifurcation of the legislative assembly electoral rolls. The actual elections will be conducted only after completion of the these procedures, the SEC says.
Oppn seeks voter list rectification by EC
A delegation of Opposition leaders on Tuesday visited Maharashtra chief electoral officer (CEO) S Chockalingam and sought clarification as well as rectification in voters' list. Those who met him include NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray, Senior Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray and leaders from the Left parties, Peasants and Workers Party and Samajwadi Party.
In a 3-page representation submitted to the CEO, they demanded rectification as well as making public the voters’ details registered between the Lok Sabha polls and the State Assembly polls last year.
Besides, they also demanded the use of VVPATs (voter verifiable paper audit trail) in the local body polls. As the discussion remained incomplete, the Opposition leaders are scheduled to meet the CEO on Wednesday again.
Meanwhile, another delegation, comprising Mumbai Congress president Varsha Gaikwad and UBT leaders Ambadas Danve and MP Arvind Sawant, met SEC Dinesh Waghmare with similar demands.
“It is now evident that there are a lot of irregularities, and it can be seen in various constituencies. We want the SEC and the state CEO to listen to our concerns,” said NCP(SP) leader Jayant Patil.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said the BJP was making similar demands in West Bengal, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. “Even the BJP should join us on the issues raised,” Raut said.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena chief leader and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde said it is not Maha Vikas Aghadi but a Maha Confused Aghadi.
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