Counting of votes for Maharashtra by-polls underway

The counting of votes for the Chinchwad and Kasba Peth Assembly seats in Maharashtra is currently underway. The counting of votes, which began at 8 a.m., will determine the electoral fates of three leading candidates from the Chinchwad Assembly constituency: Vitthal Kate of the NCP, Ashwini Jagtap of the BJP, and Independent Rahul Kalate. The election was held on February 27th.

The outcome of the Kasba Peth election will be decided by a two-way fight between the BJP and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), with the latter pitting Congress candidate Ravindra Dhangekar against the BJP’s Hemant Rasane.

The contesting parties’ heavyweights, including Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar, Shiv Sena UBT’s Aditya Thackeray, and Congress state chief Nana Patole, have been campaigning extensively and vigorously for their respective party candidates in the poll-bound constituencies through roadshows, street corner meetings, and public rallies.

The total number of voters in the Kasba Peth constituency is 2,75,428 according to data released by the district information office, with 1,38,550 women voters, 1,36,87 male voters, and five transgender voters. A total of 56,8954 eligible voters cast ballots across 510 pooling booths in the Chinchwad Assembly constituency.

Pune police deployed approximately 1300 police personnel, as well as all senior officials from the police department, for voting day. After the deaths of BJP MLAs Laxman Jagtap from the Chinchwad Assembly constituency and Mukta Tilak from the Kasba Peth Assembly constituency, bye-elections were called.