The former Maharashtra Congress chief questioned why the state continues to insist on EVMs and suggested that this decision might be serving certain interests. In his letters to CM Fadnavis and the poll body, he highlighted multiple issues faced by voters during the recent civic body polls
Congress leader Patole cited the recent 29 civic polls in the state, saying they exposed serious flaws in the election process. File pic
Former Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole has written to the chief election commissioner and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, demanding that upcoming zilla parishad and panchayat samiti elections be conducted using ballot papers instead of electronic voting machines (EVMs).
आगामी जिल्हा परिषद व पंचायत समिती निवडणुका EVM ऐवजी बॅलेट पेपरवर घेण्यासंदर्भातील निवेदन आज राज्य निवडणूक आयुक्त तसेच राज्याचे मुख्यमंत्री श्री. देवेंद्र फडणवीस यांना दिले. pic.twitter.com/q1OfZlB27a
— Nana Patole (@NANA_PATOLE) January 17, 2026
Patole cited the recent 29 municipal corporation elections in the state, saying they exposed serious flaws in the election process. He pointed out that low voter turnout in urban areas is not merely due to voter apathy, but indicates declining public trust in the electoral system. He questioned why Maharashtra continues to insist on EVMs and suggested that this decision might be serving certain interests.
In his letters, Patole highlighted multiple issues faced by voters during the recent polls, including errors in voter lists, long delays of two to three hours in locating polling stations, and thousands of citizens leaving without casting their votes. He also criticised the non-use of the VVPAT system, which he said undermined voters’ ability to verify their votes. In addition, he noted that the ink applied to voters’ fingers could easily be washed off, further raising doubts about the transparency and credibility of the process.
Patole emphasised that zilla parishad and panchayat samiti elections are the backbone of democracy. He warned that if doubts, distrust, and mismanagement persist, it could seriously affect the health of the state’s democracy.
“Considering public sentiment, these elections should be held using ballot papers instead of EVMs,” Patole said in his letters to the chief election commissioner and the chief minister.
BMC Elections 2026 Results: Congress leader seeks Mumbai unit chief's resignation
A day after the Congress recorded its lowest-ever tally in the Mumbai civic polls, internal differences resurfaced on Saturday, with calls for the resignation of city unit president Varsha Gaikwad on moral grounds.
However, Mumbai Congress chief spokesperson Sachin Sawant defended the party’s performance, saying it was “satisfactory, considering the adverse circumstances under which the polls were held.”
Gaikwad has come under criticism after the party’s seat count fell to 24, down from 31 in the 2017 elections to the 227-member Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
In these polls, the Congress chose not to ally with other Maha Vikas Aghadi constituents, instead partnering with the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), RSP, and RPI (Gavai) to contest 152 seats. The allies, however, failed to win any seats.
In a high-stakes contest, the BJP wrested control of the BMC from Uddhav Thackeray, ending his family’s three-decade-long dominance of the cash-rich civic body. The BJP won 89 seats, while Shiv Sena secured 29. Among the opposition, Shiv Sena (UBT) managed 65 seats, and the MNS won six. Other winners included the AIMIM with eight seats, the NCP three, the Samajwadi Party two, and the NCP (SP) with one seat.
(With PTI inputs)
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