Two separate incidents were reported from Solapur and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar districts during polling for the local body elections, which were held across 12 districts of the state. The incidents surfaced through eyewitness accounts and video footage circulated on social media.
In Solapur district, a candidate, Arjun Singh Mohite Patil, allegedly entered the Yashwant Nagar polling station in Akluj along with his 14-year-old son. According to news agency PTI, it was alleged that the minor pressed the button on the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM). Mohite Patil, however, denied any wrongdoing, saying his son was only curious about the voting process.
“My son wanted to understand how voting takes place. I requested officials to allow him to stand near me. I do not believe there was anything improper,” he said, adding that polling officials had initially objected to the child’s presence.
A second incident was reported from Pachod in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, where Shiv Sena MLA Vilas Bhumre was seen entering a polling booth with his minor son. Visuals showed indelible ink applied to the fingers of both the MLA and the child, and both were seen near the EVM, raising concerns about adherence to polling norms.
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar District Collector Dilip Swami said a detailed investigation would be conducted into the matter. “The circumstances are being examined. If any violation of election rules is found, appropriate action will be taken against the presiding officer or polling staff concerned,” he said.
Under election rules, only registered voters are permitted inside polling compartments, and minors are not allowed to participate in or influence the voting process. Election officials said the presence of unauthorised persons inside booths could compromise the secrecy and integrity of the vote.
The Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections were conducted from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm on Saturday. By 3:30 pm, voter turnout stood at 52.02 per cent, rising to around 67 per cent by the close of polling.
Several senior leaders were among early voters, including Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar and Nationalist Congress Party leaders Jayant Patil and Rohit Pawar. Sunetra Pawar cast her vote in Baramati alongside her son and urged citizens to participate actively in the democratic process.
A total of 731 Zilla Parishad seats and 1,462 Panchayat Samiti seats were contested. Vote counting is scheduled for February 9, after which the Model Code of Conduct will be lifted.
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