Maharashtra civic polls set for Dec 2 without VVPATs, sparking voter list feud

The State Election Commission (SEC) has announced that elections for 246 municipal councils and 42 nagar parishads across Maharashtra will be held on December 2, marking the first major state-wide electoral test since last year’s assembly polls.

The announcement, reported by TOI, immediately brings the Model Code of Conduct into force for the relevant areas, prohibiting any new policy decisions until the results are declared.

The poll schedule was unveiled against a backdrop of rising protests from opposition parties, who have alleged significant irregularities in the electoral roll. The opposition has demanded the elections be postponed until the voter list, which has a cut-off date of July 1, is amended and corrected.

Addressing these concerns, State Election Commissioner Vijay Waghmare stated that the SEC had no authority to add or delete names, as that task falls to the Chief Electoral Office of the Election Commission of India (ECI).

Waghmare explained that the SEC was legally bound to adopt the existing voter list from the chosen cut-off date. “We have to finish the polls by January 31, 2026 in view of the Supreme Court order,” Waghmare was cited by TOI as saying.

However, Waghmare detailed that the commission had employed software to identify potential duplicate entries, which have been marked with two stars on the ward lists. Local authorities will now verify if these entries belong to the same individual. If so, the voter must submit an undertaking specifying the single ward from which they wish to cast their ballot, after which they will be barred from voting in any other.

In a significant revelation, the SEC confirmed that Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trails (VVPATs) will not be used in any phase of the local body elections. Waghmare clarified that their use is not mandated in the rules for these polls and that the machines are designed for single-member wards, whereas these elections feature multi-member and multi-post wards for which VVPATs are not equipped.

The SEC had previously sought permission from the ECI to use a supplementary voter list updated until October 15, but received no response. When questioned if a later list could be used for subsequent phases if approved, Waghmare said, “If we receive the Oct 15 list then we can consider it.”

In other key directives, the Commission ruled that candidates contesting from reserved seats must submit their caste validity certificates within six months of winning their seat, failing which they will be disqualified.

To assist voters, the SEC has launched a mobile application and a website (http://mahasecvoterlist.in) where individuals can check their registration status. In a departure from some previous practices, mobile phones will generally be permitted outside polling stations, though the final decision will rest with the presiding officer of each booth.

The stage is now set for a high-stakes electoral battle, with the administration racing to address voter list grievances and opposition parties poised to capitalise on any perceived irregularities in the process.