Ahead Of Maharashtra Local Body Polls, Opposition Meets Election Commission

In a rare show of unity, leaders from nearly all major Opposition parties in Maharashtra jointly petitioned state Chief Electoral Officer S Chokalingam on Tuesday, demanding greater transparency and accountability from the poll body ahead of the long-delayed local body elections.

The All-Party Delegation, led by senior leaders including Sharad Pawar (NCP-Sharad Pawar), Uddhav Thackeray (Shiv Sena-UBT), Raj Thackeray (MNS), Balasaheb Thorat (Congress), Jayant Patil (Peasants and Workers Party), Ajit Navle (CPM), and Subhash Lande (CPI), submitted a joint memorandum on Tuesday. 

The statement accused the Commission of "eroding public trust" through opaque voter list management and its decision to forgo Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines in the upcoming civic polls. Citing Bihar's recent SIR exercise as an example, the leaders said Maharashtra must adopt similar measures to restore public confidence in its electoral process.

"The Election Commission is an autonomous body, at least it is supposed to be," the statement read. "But when we look at its current functioning, doubts arise whether it is truly independent," it added.

Key Concerns Raised

The memorandum raises six major issues. The first cites the non-disclosure of voter names removed from electoral rolls during the 2024 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. The delegation demanded that all deletions be publicly listed along with reasons, calling it a voter's fundamental right to know why their name was dropped.

Secondly, the Opposition questioned why voter list revisions made between October 2024 and July 2025 have not been published yet. 

They alleged that political parties and citizens are being denied the chance to verify the rolls and warned that withholding this data could indicate "political pressure or hidden motives".

Another major point of contention is the Commission's decision to conduct the upcoming polls using the voter list as of July 1, 2025. 
Opposition leaders argue that this would unfairly exclude thousands of young voters who turn 18 after that date, forcing them to wait five more years to exercise their democratic right.

The delegation also flagged the issue of double voter registration among migrants from other states, urging the Commission to launch a "de-duplication drive" similar to the one conducted in Bihar. If the Election Commission launched a special campaign to remove double voters in Bihar before the Assembly polls, then is there no such effort in Maharashtra ahead of local body polls?" the letter read.

Demand for VVPAT or Ballot Paper Voting

The fiercest criticism was reserved for the Commission's plan to hold civic polls without VVPAT machines, citing a shortage of equipment. 
The Opposition dismissed this explanation as unacceptable. "The local body elections have been pending since 2022. What preparations were made in these four years?" the statement asked.

Citing public mistrust in Electronic Voting Machines or EVMs, the delegation insisted that VVPATs be made mandatory. "If the same system cannot be implemented in Mumbai, where there is no ward-based voting, then elections must be conducted using ballot papers," the memorandum read.

Leaders also questioned the multi-member ward system used in Maharashtra, calling it "confusing for voters" and prone to post-election conflicts among corporators. They urged the Election Commission to reconsider the model altogether.

Call For Independent Action

The joint statement concluded with a warning that the Election Commission's credibility is "at stake". It urged the body to "act without discrimination or external pressure" and implement reforms reflecting the public's growing mistrust.

"The issues we have raised are not just of political parties, they are the questions of every common citizen," the leaders said.

Pending Polls

Local body elections across Maharashtra including key civic bodies like the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Pune, Thane, and Nashik have been overdue since 2022. The Supreme Court recently directed the state to complete the polls by January 31, 2026, after repeated delays.

The Opposition has accused the state government of intentionally postponing elections to avoid accountability at the municipal level. The Election Commission, meanwhile, maintains that logistical constraints and the ward restructuring process have delayed the schedule.

With the 2026 civic polls approaching, the joint Opposition has signalled that it intends to make electoral transparency and voter rights a key political issue, potentially setting the tone for Maharashtra's next major political showdown.