Significant confusion and procedural mix-ups marked the scrutiny of nomination papers for the upcoming Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) elections, scheduled for January 15. The core of the issue was the issuance of crucial A and B forms to two candidates from the same political party in 11 to 12 electoral wards. This administrative error had direct consequences, leading to the disqualification of three former corporators and unexpectedly benefiting one political family.
Procedural Confusion and Immediate Fallout
The election officials provided a key clarification to resolve the overlapping nominations. When two candidates from the same party submitted their A and B forms for the same ward, the nomination that was filed first in time was considered valid. This rule became the deciding factor in multiple wards. As a direct result of this mix-up, three former corporators – BJP's Mukesh Shahane and Bhagyashree Dhomse, along with Shiv Sena's Sunita Pingle – saw their nominations rejected during the scrutiny process.
Conversely, the situation proved highly advantageous for the Badgujar family. Three of its members were officially declared valid candidates in the Cidco division. Former corporator Sudhakar Badgujar, his son Deepak, and his wife Harsha (also a former corporator) all successfully cleared the nomination scrutiny. Intriguingly, neither Deepak nor Harsha Badgujar featured in the BJP's official candidate list for the NMC polls, yet they managed to receive the party's A and B forms, setting the stage for the controversy.
Ward-by-Ward Breakdown of the Disqualifications
The domino effect of the duplicate forms was felt across several Nashik wards. In Ward 29 (A), BJP's official candidate and 2017 poll winner Mukesh Shahane was disqualified after Deepak Badgujar, who had filed his papers earlier from the same seat, was declared the valid candidate.
A nearly identical scenario played out in Ward 25-C. Here, both Bhagyashree Dhomse and Harsha Badgujar were issued the forms. Since Harsha filed her nomination earlier, her candidacy was upheld, leading to Dhomse's disqualification. Sudhakar Badgujar, however, faced no such challenge and remained the BJP's official candidate from Ward 25 (A).
The confusion was not limited to these wards. Other affected wards included:
- Ward 24 (A): Pallavi Ganore's nomination was upheld over Surekha Nerkar's.
- Ward 25 (B): Sadhana Matale was declared valid, while Sangita Patil's nomination was rejected.
- Ward 26 (C): Alka Ahire stayed in the contest as Pushpavati Pawar's papers were rejected.
Shiv Sena and Shiv Sena (UBT) Also Affected
The ruling Shiv Sena faced similar internal clashes. In Ward 6-C, both former corporator Sunita Pingle and Kalpana Pingle received the party's A and B forms. Despite Sunita Pingle being the official candidate, her nomination was rejected due to the 'first-come' rule. In Ward 6 (D), Pramod Palve's nomination prevailed over Ankush Kakad's. Furthermore, in Ward 18 (B), Ranjana Borade's candidacy was validated, leading to Shital Takade's disqualification.
The opposition Shiv Sena (UBT) wing also encountered a duplicate form issue in Ward 30 (D). Here, Nishant Jadhav was declared the valid candidate, and the nomination of Nilesh Salunke was consequently rejected by the election officials.
This widespread episode of nomination confusion has cast a spotlight on the internal management and coordination within political parties during the crucial filing process. It has also underscored the strict application of election rules, which ultimately reshaped the final candidate list for the crucial civic polls in Nashik.
