Maharashtra Municipal Council Elections: 246 Councils and 42 Nagar Panchayats to Vote on December 2, Results on December 3

The deployment of approximately 66,775 personnel has been arranged for electoral duties in Maharashtra's upcoming local body elections.

Mumbai:

State Election Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare announced on Tuesday that elections for 246 municipal councils and 42 nagar panchayats in Maharashtra will be conducted on December 2, with vote counting scheduled for December 3.

During a press conference in Mumbai, Waghmare did not disclose the election schedule for 29 municipal corporations, 32 zilla parishads, and 336 panchayat samitis where elections are pending.

Electronic Voting Machines will be utilized for electing 6,859 members and 288 presidents across the 246 municipal councils and 42 nagar panchayats on December 2, followed by vote counting on December 3.

With the election schedule announcement, the model code of conduct has immediately taken effect in the respective municipal councils and nagar panchayats.

The electorate comprises 1.7 crore eligible voters, including 53,79,931 men, 53,22,870 women, and 775 others. The election will operate across 13,355 polling centers, covering a total of 3,820 wards.

Among the 6,859 members to be elected, 3,492 seats are reserved for women, 895 for Scheduled Castes, 338 for Scheduled Tribes, and 1,821 for Other Backward Classes.

Waghmare revealed that the State Election Commission has established a dedicated website (https://mahasecelec.in) for online submission of nomination forms and affidavits, while another portal (https://mahasecvoterlist.in) will enable voters to verify their names and polling stations.

He confirmed that 13,726 EVM control units and 27,452 ballot units have been prepared for conducting the polls.

The commission has instructed all district collectors and civic chiefs to enhance voter awareness campaigns through traditional and digital media channels to improve voter participation.

The electoral operation will involve approximately 66,775 personnel, including 288 returning officers and their assistants.

The code of conduct will remain in force until the completion of the entire election process, prohibiting any policy decisions or announcements that could potentially influence voters in these areas.

The division-wise distribution of nagar parishads and nagar panchayats going to polls includes: Konkan (27), Nashik (49), Pune (60), Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (52), Amravati (45), and Nagpur (55).

November 17 marks the final date for filing nominations, with scrutiny scheduled for November 18, according to Waghmare. November 21 is the deadline for withdrawing nominations. Election symbols and the candidate list will be published on November 26.

The polling will be conducted based on the cut-off date of July 1, 2025, which may potentially be extended, Waghmare indicated.

The upcoming elections include municipal councils with membership ranging from 20 to 75 members each, and nagar panchayats (town councils) with up to 17 members each.

"The electoral rolls cut-off date is July 1, 2025. We have requested the voter roll up to October 15 from the Election Commission of India, and if we receive this list, we will consider extending the cut-off date," the State Election Commissioner explained.

Responding to questions regarding the Opposition's demand to conduct polls only after correcting voter rolls, Waghmare stated that the election schedule has been announced in accordance with Supreme Court directives to complete the election process before January 31, 2026.

He clarified that the state election commission adopts the voter roll from the Election Commission of India.

Addressing Opposition concerns about "double" voters, Waghmare assured that adequate measures have been implemented to identify such cases.

He explained that names of potential duplicate voters will be marked with a double asterisk.

"Election officials will contact such electors and request them to specify their preferred polling center. Appropriate measures have been established to address the issue of duplicate voters in the list," he added.

If no response is received from a voter identified as a possible duplicate who subsequently appears at a polling station, they will be required to provide a written undertaking confirming they have not voted elsewhere. Only after thorough verification of their identity will they be permitted to cast their vote, the State Election Commissioner clarified.

A nagar parishad or municipal council governs smaller urban areas and is responsible for local governance and urban development. A nagar panchayat represents a form of urban local governance for areas transitioning from rural to urban status, typically with populations between 12,000 and 40,000.