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The Maharashtra State Election Commission on Thursday issued stringent directives for precise identification of potential duplicate voters in the electoral rolls for the upcoming Municipal Corporation elections. The authorities have been instructed to take meticulous precautions, both during the search process and at the time of actual polling.
Addressing Municipal Commissioners across the state via video conference, the State Election Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare mandated the timely verification and disposal of all objections and suggestions received regarding the draft voters’ lists. Further, he directed officials to proactively correct any errors identified in the ward-wise preparation of electoral rolls without waiting for formal complaints.
Waghmare noted that the deadline for filing objections and suggestions on the draft rolls was December 3. “Decisions must be taken on all received inputs, and the final voters’ lists are scheduled for publication on December 10. All requisite actions must be completed well ahead of this date,” he said.
All municipal corporations are directed to publish the list of potential duplicates on their notice boards and official websites, strictly following the SEC’s order dated October 29, 2025.
Key measures announced for handling potential duplicate names include marking a potential duplicate voter’s name in the roll with two stars (**). Voters with dual listings should be asked to declare the specific polling station where they intend to cast their vote. Upon response to the request, the voter must submit a form in the prescribed format, formally declaring their chosen polling station. Such a voter will be restricted to voting only at the polling centre they have specified.
The protocol for potential duplicate voters who fail to respond to the prior appeal but appear at a polling station on election day has also been announced.
If such a voter arrives, he or she will be required to furnish an indemnity bond (guarantee) in the prescribed format, affirming that he or she will not vote at any other polling station. Only after the execution of this undertaking, along with a strict identity verification, will the voter be permitted to cast the vote at the polling centre.
SEC secretary Suresh Kakani clarified that as per the provisions of the local self-government acts, the Assembly constituency electoral roll prepared by the Election Commission of India is used as is for all local body elections.
“For Municipal Corporation elections, this master list is merely segmented and divided into ward-wise lists. The names and addresses of voters remain the same as in the original Assembly list,” he said. The SEC has notified July 1, 2025 as the reference date, meaning the Assembly rolls existing on that date will be used for the current election process.
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