55 pc polling in Malegaon, Bhiwandi, Panvel civic polls

Around 55 per cent average voting was reported in municipal corporation elections in Bhiwandi, Malegaon and Panvel in Maharashtra on Wednesday, the State Election Commission said here.

Around 77.9 per cent average polling was recorded in four nagar panchayat and nagar parishad elections in Chandrapur, Ahmednagar, Latur and Sangli districts, the SEC said.

Polling began at 7.30 am and ended at 5.30 pm. The results will be declared on May 26. Altogether 1,251 candidates were in fray in the three municipal corporations polls.

Panvel City Municipal Corporation (PCMC) had its first election after it came into existence in October last year.

The Bhiwandi-Nizampur City Municipal Corporation is ruled by the Congress-led alliance, while the Malegaon body has NCP-AIMIM alliance in power.

There were altogether 12.96 lakh eligible voters for 252 seats in the polls to these civic bodies, a SEC official said. BJP fielded 189, NCP 90, Congress 152, Shiv Sena 144 candidates across the three civic bodies. Altogether 355 independents also tried their luck.

AIMIM fielded nine candidates in Bhiwandi and 37 in Malegaon, while MNS put up seven in Bhiwandi and 25 in Panvel.

The Bahujan Samaj Party fielded 22 nominees, Janata Dal (United) four, Janata Dal (Secular) 10 candidates in the three civic bodies.

Of the 18 municipal corporations which completed their five-year term this year, elections to 10 bodies were held in February, while Latur, Parbhani and Chandrapur went to polls last month.