Voting is currently underway for Maharashtra's local body elections across multiple cities. Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor cast his vote at a polling booth in Mumbai today. After voting, he spoke to the media and delivered a strong message to citizens.
Ranbir Kapoor's Appeal to Voters
Ranbir Kapoor emphasized the importance of participating in the democratic process. He stated that citizens should fulfill their duty by voting. The actor pointed out that people often complain throughout the year about various issues in their city or country. He urged everyone to come out and cast their vote instead of just complaining.
"It's our job and duty as citizens to come out and vote," Ranbir said. "We keep complaining all year about what's not right in the city or the country... so please come and cast your vote."
Appreciation for BMC
Ranbir Kapoor also thanked the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for their efforts. He acknowledged that the BMC consistently arranges good facilities for major events. This includes both Ganpati celebrations and elections held year after year.
After casting his vote, Ranbir proudly showed his inked finger to photographers. He posed for pictures at the polling booth, displaying the mark that indicates he has voted.
Maharashtra Municipal Elections Details
Polling is taking place across 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra today. Major cities participating include Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Nashik, and Pimpri-Chinchwad. The State Election Commission reports that approximately 3.48 crore voters are eligible to participate in these elections.
A total of 15,908 candidates are contesting for 2,869 seats. These seats are spread across 893 wards in the state. Authorities have established 39,092 polling centers to ensure smooth voting operations.
Voting Schedule and Turnout
Polling began at 7:30 am and will continue until 5:30 pm today. Vote counting is scheduled to take place on January 16. According to reports from the Maharashtra State Election Commission, voting recorded a moderate turnout of 29.22 percent across all 29 municipal corporations by 1:30 pm.
Earlier in the day, the overall voter turnout across the state reached 17.41 percent by 11:30 am. In Mumbai specifically, different wards showed varying participation levels. Ward 18 recorded the highest turnout at 11.57 percent, while Ward 162 registered the lowest at 1.68 percent.
These municipal elections represent a crucial democratic exercise for Maharashtra's urban local bodies. Citizens are deciding their representatives who will manage civic affairs in their cities for the coming term.
