MNS leader Avinash Jadhav has moved the Bombay High Court seeking a court-monitored probe into the mass withdrawal of municipal poll candidates, and has urged that results in 68 ‘unopposed’ Mahayuti seats be stayed until the plea is resolved.
MUMBAI: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Avinash Jadhav approached the Bombay High Court requesting a court monitored independent investigation into the “mass withdrawals” of candidates for the municipal corporation elections in the state.
Jadhav’s plea, based in Thane, also seeks to halt the declaration of results in over 68 seats where the ruling Mahayuti has claimed “unopposed” victories until the petition is resolved.
He argued,
“Withdrawal of rival candidates was not voluntary but was the result of systemic coercion, threats, or illegal allurements, violating the ‘free and fair’ mandate of Article 243-ZA of the Constitution.”
Although the ruling Mahayuti in Maharashtra asserted unopposed victories ahead of the polling scheduled for January 15, the State Election Commission (SEC) requested reports from local officials to ensure no force or other means were employed to intimidate candidates from participating in the elections.
A candidate is considered victorious only after a report to this effect is submitted, reviewed by the Commission, and a final decision rendered.
The plea indicated that the SEC has ordered inquiries into approximately 69 of the 70 candidates declared elected unopposed across 29 municipal corporations, following serious allegations of coercion, intimidation, and inducements that reportedly led to significant withdrawals of nomination papers before the January 2 deadline.
Jadhav also wanted clarification on what would happen if the sole candidate who did not withdraw contested the election and a substantial number of voters opted for NOTA (None of the Above).
Filed through advocates Asim Sarode and Shriya Awale, the petition claimed that while the SEC mandated that results of unopposed elections should not be officially declared until an inquiry into the “coercive withdrawals” is concluded, such orders were allegedly violated by the Returning Officers (ROs) of the respective municipal corporation wards.
Jadhav stated,
“The local administration was used to facilitate the uncontested win of the ruling alliance candidates, as alleged in similar cases currently under SEC probe in Mumbai and Thane.”
The MNS leader also called on the state government to “formulate legislation and amend the Maharashtra Municipal Corporations Act, 1949, to include specific provisions for minimum vote share for candidates elected unopposed.”
The plea asserted,
“Considering the dubious role of the Election Commission as an institution, it is desirable in the interest of maintaining fairness and justice that a High Court monitored inquiry and assessment is completed,”
Advocate Sarode mentioned that he will mention the same before the court,after the scrutiny and numbering of the petition.