Shocking Claims of Fraud and Fake Votes Rock Maharashtra’s Local Body Polls: A Call for Justice!
Voters faced long queues at polling stations during the municipal council elections in Karad, Maharashtra, on December 20, 2025. However, the elections were overshadowed by serious allegations of widespread irregularities, including bogus voting, voter list discrepancies, impersonation, and cash distribution. These issues prompted police interventions and the initiation of special investigations in several districts.
In Ambernath, police detained 208 women allegedly transported from Bhiwandi to cast fraudulent votes. A senior official from the Ambernath municipal election office disclosed to The Hindu that allegations emerged late Friday night regarding these women being brought to Krishna Marriage Hall for the purpose of bogus voting. Due to regulations preventing questioning women at night, investigations began Saturday morning and continue. A special investigation team has been assembled to look into these allegations, with results expected soon.
The situation escalated further when tensions arose over accusations of electronic voting machine (EVM) tampering and cash-for-votes schemes, leading to minor scuffles among rival groups and prompting police to deploy mild force at one location.
In Panvel, controversy erupted when reports indicated one individual was listed as the father of 268 voters. Concerns grew when officials discovered many names were associated with non-local youth from Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, raising red flags about duplicate entries and fictitious addresses.
In Dharmabad, Nanded district, polling was disrupted as voters were reportedly held inside a marriage hall while money was being distributed. Police intervened to rescue the detained individuals and disperse the crowd, leading to confrontations among leaders from the BJP, Ajit Pawar’s NCP, and NCP(SP) at Ward No. 8 polling station. A local police officer stated that some people were even accused of being kept at a temple; however, upon inspection, they claimed to be there for prayer. Ongoing investigations continue to uncover similar issues across various locations.
In Nashik’s Sinnar, a 25-year-old man was apprehended for allegedly impersonating his brother using a counterfeit Aadhaar card. Reports of cash inducements ranging from ₹500 to ₹10,000 per vote emerged in Akola, Buldhana, Beed, and Pune, with cash seizures occurring in these areas.
Voting for presidential and member positions across 23 municipal councils and nagar panchayats concluded at 5:30 p.m. on December 20, 2025. Notable localities involved included Baramati and Ambernath. Polling commenced at 7:30 a.m., yielding a voter turnout of 47.04% by the afternoon, with certain wards reporting as high as 49.47%. Vote counting for all 286 municipal councils and nagar panchayats, including those from earlier voting on December 2, is set to commence at 10 a.m. on December 21, 2025.
Addressing reporters in Mumbai, AICC general secretary Ramesh Chennithala accused the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti coalition of “massive misuse of money and power” during the local elections, asserting that Maharashtra has become a hub of corruption. He emphasized the significance of municipal elections as “workers’ elections” and expressed readiness to confront the current wave of corruption, announcing the Congress’s intention to contest the BMC elections independently while focusing on key issues like corruption and pollution.
As investigations continue in Ambernath, Nanded, and Panvel, officials have yet to comment formally on the incidents reported. The State Election Commission’s response remains awaited as the situation unfolds.
Original Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/maharashtra/claims-of-fake-votes-fraud-mar-local-body-polls-in-maharashtra/article70420429.ece
Category : Maharashtra
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Publish Date: 2025-12-20 22:31:00
