Nagpur Municipal Elections Set for January 15 with 993 Candidates in Fray
Polling for the Nagpur Municipal Corporation elections will take place this Thursday, January 15. Voters across 38 wards will elect 151 corporators in this significant civic exercise. A total of 993 candidates have entered the electoral contest, making this one of Nagpur's most competitive municipal polls in recent years.
New Voting System Creates Confusion Among Electorate
Under the revised ward structure, voters face a mandatory requirement to cast four votes each in wards 1 through 37. This system aims to elect four corporators from every ward. However, residents in ward 38, designated as a three-member prabhag, will cast three votes instead.
Many voters express uncertainty about the consequences of casting fewer than the mandated votes. They question whether such votes will remain valid or automatically convert to NOTA selections. Further confusion surrounds the proper procedure for intentionally choosing NOTA options.
The voting process itself has undergone significant changes this election cycle. The new system requires voters to press the EVM button multiple times, depending on their ward's requirements. Municipal authorities warn that inadequate awareness of this procedure could lead to votes being declared invalid.
Municipal Commissioner Clarifies EVM Procedures
Municipal commissioner and chief election officer Abhijeet Choudhari addressed media concerns about the voting process. He explained that voters must press the EVM button four times to select four different candidates in most wards.
The electronic voting machines will feature ballot unit slips in four distinct colors labeled A, B, C and D. Each slip displays candidate names and their respective symbols for voter identification.
Each ballot unit accommodates up to 14 candidates, with NOTA occupying the fifteenth position. The number of ballot units deployed per ward depends directly on the total candidate count. Since every ward features more than 16 contestants, election officials will use at least two ballot units minimum.
Wards with over 28 candidates require three ballot units connected to the same EVM. Voters in these wards must move between multiple ballot units to complete their voting process properly.
Bus Services Adjusted for Election Logistics
The election administration has deployed 525 buses to transport polling staff across Nagpur on January 15. This large-scale deployment affects regular city bus services significantly.
City bus operations will remain suspended entirely on January 14, the day before polling. On election day itself, services will operate on a limited basis along select routes from 5 AM until late night.
Municipal commissioner Choudhari provided additional transportation details. Approximately 250 buses will continue operating until 1 PM on polling day. After this time, most Aapli Bus fleet vehicles will redirect to transport election materials from polling stations to secure strong rooms.
Around 70 buses will maintain service on major routes throughout the day. However, services to areas beyond Nagpur's city limits will remain suspended during the election period. Regular bus schedules will resume fully from January 16 onward.
Three-Day Dry Period Declared for Election
The district administration has implemented a three-day Dry Day period surrounding the elections. District collector Vipin Itankar issued the order following State Election Commission directives.
Liquor sales remain prohibited from January 14, the day before polling, through the completion of vote counting. Counting itself occurs on January 16, with liquor outlets resuming normal operations the following day.
The administration warns of strict action against any violations of this temporary prohibition. This measure aims to maintain public order and ensure peaceful polling across Nagpur's municipal wards.
Nagpur residents prepare for an important democratic exercise that will shape municipal governance for the coming term. Election officials emphasize the importance of voter participation while addressing procedural concerns raised by citizens.
