Shaping Local Governance: Maharashtra's Dec 2 Polls Set to Test Fadnavis-Led Government's Strength
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{ "title": "Shaping Local Governance: Maharashtra's Dec 2 Polls Set to Test Fadnavis-Led Government's Strength", "article": "Maharashtra is gearing up for a crucial round of local body elections on December 2, with voting scheduled for 246 municipal councils and 42 nagar panchayats. This three-phase process, mandated by the Supreme Court, will be a significant indicator of the ruling coalition's strength in the state after their landslide assembly election victory in November 2024. The polls will be a test of whether the momentum from the assembly elections translates to effective grassroots governance or if opposition parties can challenge the ruling coalition's dominance at the municipal level. The campaign period for the polls ended at 10 pm on December 1, and votes will be counted on December 3. The elections will decide the fate of 6,859 members and 288 presidents across these local bodies, with over 1.07 crore eligible voters set to exercise their franchise at 13,355 polling stations. Electronic Voting Machines will be deployed throughout, with over 66,000 staff members assigned to ensure the smooth conduct of the polls. A total of 51,000 nominations were received, with 3,492 seats reserved for women, 895 for Scheduled Castes, 338 for Scheduled Tribes, and 1,821 for Other Backward Classes. The expenditure limit for candidates has been set at ₹15 lakh for the post of president and ₹12 lakh for the post of member. Region-wise, the elections will cover 27 councils in Konkan, 59 in Nashik division, 60 in Pune division, and 55 in Nagpur division. The polls have witnessed significant political manoeuvring, with the ruling Mahayuti alliance of BJP, Shiv Sena, and Nationalist Congress Party facing off against the Maha Vikas Aghadi of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena, Sharad Pawar's NCP, and Congress. The Bharatiya Janata Party secured 100 councillor and three municipal president positions unopposed, attributing this success to the public's trust in Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' leadership. However, the party has also faced criticism over allegations of dynastic politics in Nanded's Loha Nagar Parishad. The elections take place amid Opposition demands for postponement over alleged irregularities in voter lists. The Election Commission has introduced a verification system marking suspected duplicate voters with double stars on lists, requiring strict identity checks at polling stations. To enhance transparency, the EC has launched a mobile application providing comprehensive information about candidates and voters."
