The Special Intensive Revision of Maharashtra's electoral rolls has identified over 76 lakh voters classified as permanently shifted across the state. Mumbai Suburban, Thane, and Pune districts reported the highest numbers, highlighting significant discrepancies in voter lists and the ongoing challenge of maintaining accurate electoral data.
More than 2.06 crore electors, representing 21.14 per cent of Maharashtra's previous voter base, have been excluded from the draft electoral roll following a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) due to reasons like being untraceable, deceased, or having shifted residences.
Mumbai civic polls recorded a voter turnout of 52.94 per cent, a decrease from the 55.53 per cent recorded in the 2017 elections. Counting of votes is scheduled to begin at 10 am at 25 centers across the city.
Maharashtra has completed 66.42 per cent of its pre-Special Intensive Revision (SIR) mapping work, with significant variations in progress across different districts, according to officials.
Uddhav Thackeray, chief of Shiv Sena (UBT), has strongly refuted Union Home Minister Amit Shah's assertion that Eknath Shinde leads the sole Shiv Sena. Addressing party workers in Bhandup, Thackeray declared his faction as the original Shiv Sena, criticising the BJP for allegedly trying to dismantle his party. His remarks come amidst a rebellion by six Sena (UBT) MPs, further intensifying the political struggle for the party's legacy.
Mumbai suburban district saw an addition of 95,630 new voters, taking its tally to 77.81 lakh, while Mumbai city added 18,741 names, raising its voter base to 25.62 lakh.
'Marathi-speaking people of Mumbai have now emerged as a consolidated vote bank standing firmly behind the Thackerays.'
Mumbai, home to 1 crore voters and 420 candidates vying for 36 assembly seats, is gearing up for the Maharashtra Assembly elections on November 20. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has completed all preparations for smooth conduct of the polls, ensuring a robust security arrangement and dedicated facilities for senior citizens and differently-abled voters. The BMC has also urged citizens to exercise their franchise, emphasizing the importance of active participation in strengthening democracy.
The Mumbai district election officer has said all establishments, businesses and other workplaces within the Brihanmumbai limits are mandated to grant leave to their employees for voting in the Maharashtra assembly polls on November 20.
A BMC spokesperson said the average voter turnout stood at 29.96 per cent till 1.30 pm in the metropolis, which has more than 1 crore eligible electors.
The BJP leader also asked the EC officials to discuss the matter with the collectors of Mumbai City and Mumbai Suburban District and ensure voters do not face any problem due to the slow pace of voting at the booths.
The BJP and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena alliance secured a majority in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, winning 118 out of 227 seats and ending the Thackeray family's long-standing control.
The final turnout in the Maharashtra assembly polls was 66.05 percent, up from 61.1 percent in 2019, according to the Election Commission. The polling percentage for the Nanded Lok Sabha bypoll was 67.81 percent. The increase, excluding postal ballots, highlighted the EC's efforts to engage a broader electorate, the statement added. Kolhapur led with 76.63 per cent, followed by 75.26 per cent in Gadchiroli, while the lowest was in Mumbai island city at 52.07 per cent and 55.95 per cent in the metropolis' suburban district. More than 68,000 citizens aged over 85 and 12,000 individuals with disabilities cast their votes through home voting.
This will be the first major electoral test after the political realignment that emerged in 2019.
'The writing is on the wall for both Shinde and Ajit Pawar.'
While at some places people who had turned up at polling booths early in the morning left without casting their vote after waiting in line for a long time, Sena-UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray alleged that the process was slowed down deliberately.
The Congress party extends best wishes to the newly-elected Vice President of India, C P Radhakrishnan, while recalling the words of the first Vice President, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, on the importance of free criticism in a democracy.
The Raj Thackeray-led MNS senses an opportunity after the Shiv Sena-UBT candidate's lead fell to less than 7,000 votes in the Worli assembly segment during the recent Lok Sabha polls.
'If Rutuja Latke wins, it will come as a morale booster for Uddhav Thackeray. Her victory will mean that voters' sympathy is with Thackeray after the split in the party'
While political experts claim that the Modi Magic is missing in the 2024 general election, the common people in the street -- at least those in the crowd on Thursday -- vow that they will vote for Modi and the candidate who contests the election doesn't matter much.
'This isn't political. This fight is for justice. This is the fight to give justice to the party workers'
About 56 per cent was the overall turnout for 10 municipal corporations across Maharashtra.
The opposition demanded that the concert either be postponed or given permission after the BMC poll process is completed.
Congress sitting MP Sanjay Nirupam is facing a tough contest from Bharatiya Janata Party Gopal Shetty in the North Mumbai Lok Sabha constituency, which goes to polls on April 24.
Taking a strident position on the matter, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray said, "We will ensure there is no ban on sale of meat for the eight days."
In an apparent bid to offset BJP candidate Pragya Thakur's controversial statement against slain IPS officer Hemant Karkare, Modi heaped praises on Mumbai police.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday asserted his rebellion was not an act of "betrayal", but a "revolt" and asked Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray to kneel down at party founder Bal Thackeray's memorial and apologise for going against his ideals and aligning with the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
Confident Muslims in the Behrampada locality in Mumbai's suburban Bandta enjoy a bit of camaraderie amid listless voters and an unforgiving sun. Prasanna D Zore reports
The letter was posted by Shinde on his Twitter handle, claiming these were the sentiments of the Sena MLAs.
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The 29-year-old next-gen Thackeray, whom his party wants to be the deputy chief minister in the BJP-Sena alliance government, won with a thumping majority from Mumbai's Worli constituency.
Posters featuring Fadnavis and declaring 'ha shabda maza ahe (this is my word)' have been put up all over Mumbai to counter Sena posters.
Sitting MP Pawan Kumar Bansal faces two dimpled beauties. Which one will the city choose?
Somaiya, an old BJP hand and one of its leading speakers on economic issues in Parliament, had been a trenchant critic of the Sena.
In potentially controversial remarks, Union minister and Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday asked his party workers to take advantage of the multi-phase polling in the state by voting twice, first at their hometowns and then at their places of work.
"Earlier, there were rates: Rs 500 for stone pelting (on security forces in Kashmir) and Rs 1,000 for doing something else. PM has brought terror funding to zero," Parrikar said.
The new chief minister will be one of the most closely watched politicians in the country in these media-driven times.
His nomination was announced by the outgoing President, Anthony Wreford, at the MCC Annual General Meeting at Lord's in May this year.
It took Gour Hari Das three decades to wrangle out a certificate recognising his work as a freedom fighter. His struggle is now the subject of a film
