The scrutiny of nomination forms has turned into a monumental challenge for election officials across Maharashtra. This follows an unprecedented deluge of applications for the upcoming civic body elections. A staggering 33,606 nomination forms have been submitted for just 2,869 seats spread across 29 municipal corporations in the state.
Unprecedented Numbers and City-Wise Breakdown
The final data from the State Election Commission (SEC) paints a picture of intense political activity. On average, nearly 12 candidates are vying for each available seat. The city of Pune leads the tally with 3,179 nominations, making the election officer's task particularly daunting. It is closely followed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) with 2,516 applications and Nashik with 2,356.
Interestingly, even smaller corporations have witnessed a flood of interest. Jalna and Nanded Waghala, for instance, have each received over 1,200 nominations despite having fewer seats. On the other end of the spectrum, Panvel and Ichalkaranji recorded the lowest numbers at 391 and 456 nominations respectively. In total, elections will be conducted across 893 wards in the state.
Political Enthusiasm and Strategic "Dummy" Candidates
Political analysts attribute this massive response to several factors. A primary reason is that these civic polls are being held after a gap of nine years. Often considered the foundation for building political cadres, local body elections are a crucial testing ground for emerging leaders who later contest at state and national levels.
The significant number of applications is also a direct result of major political parties initially exploring the option to contest solo. The delay in formalizing alliances further encouraged many aspirants to file nominations, hoping to secure tickets. Additionally, parties have strategically fielded a large number of "dummy candidates" as a backup plan.
A senior Shiv Sena member explained the strategy, stating, "These dummy candidates can be activated in case of last-minute changes in official candidature, problems during scrutiny, or unexpected shifts in alliances." The last date for filing nominations was Tuesday, with January 15 set as the polling day.
Scrutiny Process and Underlying Motivations
The examination process is now in full swing to weed out unqualified candidates. January 2 is the last date for withdrawal of nominations, and the final, verified list of candidates will be published on January 3. Prasad Katkar, the election officer for Pune Municipal Corporation, stated that additional manpower has been deployed for scrutiny, using parameters set by the SEC.
A returning officer clarified that nominations can be rejected due to incomplete documentation. While candidates have the right to appeal to a higher authority or court, such appeals rarely succeed if the initial rejection followed due diligence.
Political analyst Surendra Jondhale shed light on the motivations driving this rush. He pointed to the direct and indirect financial gains associated with holding power in civic bodies. "The collection and utilization of funds for development works, along with contract allocations and execution, appear as a lucrative business for many," Jondhale said. He also noted that many youngsters, particularly unemployed youth, now view political candidature as a viable career option, adding to the high number of aspirants.
