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As per the law, local body elections must use the final electoral roll prepared for the most recent assembly polls, leaving out those who registered after 2024
At present, Maharashtra has around 9.8 crore registered voters, up from 9.73 crore during the last assembly elections. (PTI)
As Maharashtra gears up for its long-pending local body elections, a key concern has emerged—lakhs of newly registered voters may not get the chance to vote.
Following a Supreme Court directive clearing the path for civic elections, the State Election Commission has begun its preparations but officials say the voter list used in the last assembly elections will be reused for these polls, as per rules. This could leave out over seven lakh new voters who registered after the 2024 assembly elections.
Several of these new voters—many of them first-time youth voters—had hoped to cast their votes in the upcoming municipal and panchayat polls, dates for which haven’t been fixed yet. But as per the law, local body elections must use the final electoral roll prepared for the most recent assembly polls, and not a freshly updated list.
The State Election Commission has already written to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Maharashtra, asking for a copy of this final voter list. Ministry sources confirm that the request has also been forwarded to the Election Commission of India, and the list is likely to be handed over soon. Apart from the voter list, the commission has also asked for Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) required to conduct the polls.
Sources say that during the assembly elections, nearly one lakh EVMs were used. Given the large number of local bodies across Maharashtra, including municipal corporations, councils, and zilla parishads, officials may need additional EVMs, possibly sourced from other states.
At present, Maharashtra has around 9.8 crore registered voters, up from 9.73 crore during the last assembly elections. With nearly seven lakh new additions, their exclusion is being seen as a missed opportunity, especially at a time when young voter participation is being encouraged. While preparations are in full swing, the final election schedule is yet to be announced. Until then, the number of excluded new voters may continue to grow.
The development has raised concerns among citizens and civil society groups, who have called for a more inclusive approach to ensure every eligible voter gets a say in local governance—the closest form of democracy in action.
Mayuresh Ganapatye, News Editor at News18.com, writes on politics and civic issues, as well as human interests stories. He has been covering Maharashtra and Goa for more than a decade. He previously worked with…Read More
Mayuresh Ganapatye, News Editor at News18.com, writes on politics and civic issues, as well as human interests stories. He has been covering Maharashtra and Goa for more than a decade. He previously worked with… Read More
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