Polling for Sangli, Jalgaon civic bodies held in Maharashtra

The Sangli-Miraj-Kupwad Municipal Corporation (SMKMC) in western Maharashtra and Jalgaon Municipal Corporation (JMC) in the north of the state went to the polls today.

In Jalgaon, around 55 per cent voters exercised their franchise, but the final figure is yet to be out. Last time the city had registered 63 per cent voting, an official said.

Around 62 per cent polling was registered in Sangli-Miraj-Kupwad Municipal Corporation, one percentage point less than the 2013 polls, the official said.

A total of 754 candidates are vying for 153 seats in these two cities, which have a cumulative voter population of 7,89,251.

State Election Commissioner J S Saharia said 1,013 polling booths had been set up and 5,792 election staff deployed on duty in the two cities.

In Sangli, tension prevailed in polling booth in ward number 15 when some candidates alleged that the Electronic Voting Machine was malfunctioning and all votes were going to the BJP.

As workers of various parties created a ruckus, police baton-charge them to disperse the workers. The municipal commissioner later said there was no malfunctioning.

Counting of votes will take place on August 3.

As many as 451 candidates are in fray for 78 seats in the SMKMC, while 303 nominees will vie for 75 seats in Jalgaon.

In Jalgaon, Sena-BJP have an informal alliance, while Congress-NCP had announced a tie-up before the polls.

In SMKMC, the NCP and Congress have joined hands against the BJP.