The BRICS TimesThe State Election Commission (SEC) has requested reports from various authorities to determine if coercion or bribery influenced the withdrawal of opposition candidates.
SEC Halts Election Results Pending Detailed Reports
The State Election Commission (SEC) is investigating why several ruling alliance candidates are winning without any contest. Reports from different agencies will check if candidates were forced or bribed to step down. The SEC stated that Returning Officers (ROs) cannot declare winners until these inquiries are finished. Currently, the BJP has unopposed candidates in Pimpri-Chinchwad, Jalgaon, and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar. In Kalyan-Dombivli, nine more Mahayuti candidates face no opposition.
Complaints of Intimidation and Bias Surface
Many complaints allege that ruling parties and election officials are working together to stop nominations. Rekha Redkar from the AAP claimed she was blocked from filing her papers on time. “The poll machinery is biased,” she stated. Redkar noted that BJP candidates could submit documents after 3 p.m., but she was denied a token earlier. She has now requested CCTV footage from all wards to prove these claims of unfair treatment.
Investigation Into Mumbai and Other Key Areas
The SEC is looking into nine specific wards where candidates won without any competition. Official reports are expected after the withdrawal deadline of January 3. Authorities will check if candidates were pressured or bribed to leave the race. Until these reports arrive, no official winner will be named by the ROs. One official noted that unopposed wins in high-stakes areas are quite surprising and unusual.
Action Limited to Election Officials
If the reports prove any rules were broken, the SEC can only take action against the ROs. Since the deadline has passed, no new candidates can file their nominations now. In Ward A, allegations have surfaced against Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar. Former MP Haribhau Rathod claimed Narwekar sat in the RO’s office to help his relatives win unopposed. He alleged these were tactics to clear the path for BJP candidates.
Speaker Dismisses Allegations as Baseless
SEC officials have asked BMC Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani to check CCTV footage regarding Narwekar’s presence. Shiv Sena UBT leader Sanjay Raut also criticized the Speaker, saying he should remain neutral and avoid nomination centers. Narwekar dismissed these claims, calling them “baseless.” He stated that anyone present before 5 p.m. on December 30 was allowed to file. He added that even a BJP candidate from Ward 212 faced similar issues.
Police Official Under Fire for Code Violation
The SEC is also investigating Thane’s Traffic DCP, Pankaj Shirsat, for a possible code of conduct violation. Shirsat reportedly discussed government plans for the Samruddhi Expressway at a public event. The SEC has asked DGP Rashmi Shukla for a formal report on the matter. “Prima facie, we found it to be a violation,” an official said. This investigation adds to the growing list of election-related probes in the state.
