As Mumbai is voting in the high-stakes Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) electionson Thursday, allegations of cash-for-votes distribution took center stage, with rival parties blaming each other even as the State Election Commission (SEC) underlined large-scale enforcement action. According to the SEC, cash and liquor worth more than Rs 12 crore were seized during election monitoring. Around Rs 7 crore in cash, liquor worth Rs 5.28 crore, and drugs worth Rs 54.85 crore ahead of the polling, as per a report by India Today.
One of the most high-profile accusations was reported in South Mumbai’s Colaba constituency (Ward 225) where Shiv Sena(UBT) candidate Ajinkya Dhatrak claimed to have intercepted a vehicle near St. George Hospital carrying three bags of cash and voter lists. He mentioned that one person was handed over to the police whereas the other two managed to flee. The ward has emerged as a prestige contest, with Dhatrak facing Harshita Narvekar, sister-in-law of Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar.
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Rival parties trade charges across city wards
Similar conditions were reported from Chembur (Ward 153), where the Shiv Sena (UBT) accused workers of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena of distributing cash door to door, as reported by India Today. Party workers also claimed to have CCTV footage showing an individual named Pappu Bhati involved in the activity.
In Worli, which is considered a stronghold of Aditya Thackeray, Shinde Sena workers and independent candidate SuryaKant (Babu) Koli blamed the husband of Sena (UBT) candidate Hemangi Worlikar of bringing women during closed-door meetings, India Today reported.
SEC on enforcement details
Replying to the allegations, State Election Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare stated that it would be incorrect to suggest the SEC failed to take action. He mentioned that flying squads and video monitoring units have conducted extensive security checks.
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“Cash amounting to nearly Rs 7 crore, drugs worth Rs 54.85 crore, and liquor worth Rs 5.28 crore have been seized. Along with this, 95 arms and weapons have also been confiscated,” Waghmare stated. He also added that preventive actions had been taken on 21,153 people under the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita and the MCOCA, MPDA Act, Maharashtra Police Act.
Polling has started at 7:30 am, with voters, including first-time voters, senior citizens, and families, lining up at booths across Mumbai to cast their votes. Long queues were reported at locations like the Pali-Chimbai Municipal School polling station. |
