Pimpri-Chinchwad: Acting swiftly on The Free Press Journal’s report, the Pimpri-Chinchwad police have registered a case against Nilesh Chandrakant Doke, husband of Bharatiya Janata Party candidate and former mayor Aparna Doke, for violating election rules by taking a photograph of an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) inside a polling booth.
Nilesh Doke, a BJP worker and active politician himself, clicked the photo and posted it on social media during the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) Elections 2026.
The case was registered at the Chinchwad Police Station under BNS Section 223 (disobedience to an order duly promulgated by a public servant) for breach of ballot secrecy, along with relevant sections of the Maharashtra Municipal Councils, Nagar Panchayats and Industrial Townships Act, 1965.
The action came within hours of the issue being flagged, underlining the authorities’ stance on strict enforcement of election norms.
According to officials, Nilesh Doke went to cast his vote at around 7.30 am on Thursday (15th January), at Room No. 1 of Kendra Kalyan Pramishtha Nirmit Sukhi Bhavan No. 55 in Chinchwad.
Despite clear instructions prohibiting mobile phones inside polling booths, he allegedly carried his phone with him, took a photograph of the EVM while voting, and later shared the image on Facebook. Photography inside polling booths and the circulation of such images is a direct violation of election rules, as it compromises the secrecy of the ballot.
The incident triggered widespread public reaction, particularly after reports emerged that several ordinary voters were turned away from polling centres for carrying mobile phones. Following FPJ’s report highlighting the alleged violation and concerns over selective enforcement, election authorities moved quickly to initiate legal action.
Chinchwad Police officials confirmed that the complaint was received from Maharashtra State Election Commission (SEC) officials and that the case was registered after preliminary verification. Statements were being recorded as part of the investigation. PCMC’s Junior Engineer Anuradha Mohite has filed the official complaint according to the FIR.
Who Is Nilesh Doke?
Nilesh Doke has held political positions in the past and was the first city president of the Nationalist Student Congress (NCP) in Pimpri-Chinchwad. He has also served as a member of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Transport body.
His wife, Aparna Doke, a former corporator and PCMC mayor, recently switched from the Ajit Pawar-led NCP to the BJP and is contesting the municipal elections from Ward No. 18 (Chinchwad Gaonthan, Keshav Nagar) Seat A, which is reserved for OBC Women candidates.
Authorities have reiterated that election rules apply equally to all, regardless of political affiliation, and warned that any violation of polling norms will invite strict action to safeguard the integrity of the democratic process.
