Maharashtra civic polls: Polling begins with heavy security deployed; over 11 lakh voters to choose 859 candidates

AURANGABAD: The election department and city police have set up an extensive, multi-layered arrangement for polling in the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar municipal corporation elections on Thursday, deploying large-scale manpower, surveillance systems, and preventive measures to ensure free, fair, and peaceful voting.

Polling will be conducted at 1,267 polling stations spread across 363 buildings in the city. A total of 5,588 polling personnel, including presiding officers and polling officers (PO 1 to PO 3), have been appointed for the exercise. Officials said all staff have undergone training, with standby arrangements in place to deal with any last-minute contingencies.


The electorate for this election stands at 11,18,284 voters, who will elect 115 corporators. The contest is among 859 candidates, including 480 men and 379 women, representing various political parties as well as independents. In the 2015 civic polls, voter turnout reached a record 63%, and officials said matching or surpassing that figure under the ward-wise voting system would be a key challenge this time.

To enhance transparency and monitoring, webcasting facilities have been installed at 537 polling stations, covering both the inside and outside of polling rooms. In addition, 173 sector officers have been appointed to oversee polling-day operations and address complaints or logistical issues at the local level.

Four centres have been earmarked for strong rooms and counting of votes, where counting for all 29 wards will be carried out simultaneously. These are: Government Engineering College, Usmanpura; Government Polytechnic College, Station Road; St Francis High School, Jalna Road; and Garware IT Park at Chikalthana MIDC. Counting will take place on Thursday.

The police have enforced an unprecedented security blanket across the city. Police commissioner Pravin Pawar said that a total of 3,307 police officers and personnel have been deployed, along with 1,928 home guards. Additional strength includes one company and two platoons of the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF). “The objective is to ensure that polling and counting are conducted in a peaceful and fearless atmosphere, allowing citizens to exercise their right to vote freely,” Pawar said.

Deputy commissioner of police (crime) Ratnakar Navale said a wide range of preventive actions had been taken ahead of polling. “As many as 905 preventive actions were carried out, including 88 actions under the Code of Criminal Procedure. Twenty-eight persons were externed under the Maharashtra Police Act, four accused were detained under the MPDA, and action was taken against three accused under MCOCA,” Navale said.

He added that police registered 211 cases related to illegal liquor, seizing contraband worth Rs 7.21 lakh, and 18 cases under the NDPS Act, with seizures valued at Rs 11.87 lakh. A total of 847 weapons were deposited across police stations as part of election-related precautions, while action was taken against 283 persons under BNSS Section 163.

Extensive patrolling, fixed-point deployments, foot patrols, drone surveillance, plainclothes teams, QRTs, Damini squads, and traffic police have been pressed into service, particularly in sensitive and hyper-sensitive areas. Police have also carried out route marches and area domination exercises to reassure citizens.

The administration and police have jointly appealed to voters to turn out in large numbers and participate in the democratic process without fear.