The State Election Commission has kickstarted preparations for the upcoming local body elections in Maharashtra, with the updated voters’ list as of July 1 set to be used, State Election Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare announced on Thursday.
Waghmare shared the update during a video conference with district collectors to review initial arrangements for the Zilla Parishad, Panchayat Samiti, Municipal Council, and Nagar Panchayat elections, according to a release from the SEC.
“All preparations must align with the latest electoral roll available as of July 1,” Waghmare emphasized. He clarified that the voters’ list prepared by the Election Commission of India (ECI) will be used for these polls, as no separate voter list is prepared for local body elections. Preliminary consultations with the ECI regarding the use of this list have already commenced, he added.
Waghmare also pointed out that, unlike Assembly elections, local body elections follow a multi-member ward system, which will lead to a higher number of polling stations to accommodate the format.
The announcement signals the beginning of the administrative groundwork for one of the largest democratic exercises at the grassroots level in the state.
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