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‘If no VVPAT, then have ballot papers for local body polls’: Pune unit of Sharad Pawar’s NCP hits out at EC’s ‘shocking decision’

Pune NCP chief Prashant Jagtap said the Maharashtra State Election Commission's decision not to have VVPAT could lead to electoral malpractice.

State Election Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare had earlier said that no VVPATs will be used in the local body polls. (File Photo)

The Pune city unit of the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) Wednesday lambasted the Maharashtra State Election Commission for its decision not to use voter-verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) machines in the upcoming civic body elections and called for the use of ballot papers to ensure the integrity of the polls in such a scenario.

“The municipal corporation election process is now gaining momentum. The State Election Commission has made a shocking decision not to use VVPAT, creating a conducive situation for electoral malpractice. It cites insufficient availability of VVPAT machines as a reason,” said Pune NCP(SP) chief Prashant Jagtap.

VVPAT machine is an independent system connected to an electronic voting machine (EVM), which allows voters to verify that their vote has been correctly registered. The VVPAT prints a slip that includes the serial number, the name of the candidate, and the election symbol of the selected candidate, and it is displayed to the voter through a transparent window.

State Election Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare Tuesday said the civic body elections are expected to take place in November-December. He also noted that VVPAT machines were not used in previous civic body elections, and they will not be used in the upcoming polls either.

“Parliament has not passed any law mandating the use of EVM machines in elections other than the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. If there are not enough VVPAT machines available to conduct the election process, the question arises: why insist on using EVM machines at all?” asked Jagtap.

He said if VVPAT is not used in the election, then it should be conducted using ballot papers. Otherwise, the party will challenge this procedure in the Supreme Court, he added.

He said that in the 2024 Lok Sabha and Maharashtra Assembly elections, the country witnessed allegations of serious irregularities in the voting process in many places. “Several candidates from constituencies, including the Hadapsar Assembly segment, approached courts demanding a recount of votes, and the court gave a decision to conduct a recount in those cases.”

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“In this entire process, the VVPAT machine has proven to be a highly important component. Despite this, the decision taken by the State Election Commission is extremely unfortunate and appears to fuel electoral corruption,” said Jagtap, who is not the only Opposition leader to have criticised the Election Commission over VVPAT.

On Tuesday, Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sushma Andhare said that if VVPAT machines are not used in local body polls, it raises serious issues of transparency of the elections. Congress MLA Vijay Wadettiwar, too, questioned the logic behind not using the VVPAT machines in local body polls.

Ajay Jadhav

Ajay Jadhav is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, Pune. With over 22 years of experience in the industry, he is a highly specialized journalist whose work focuses on the intersection of urban infrastructure, governance, and sustainability. Professional Background Role: As Assistant Editor, he plays a key role in the editorial direction of the Pune bureau, specializing in urban policy and its direct impact on citizens. Education: He holds a Master’s degree in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a PG Diploma in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). He also studied at the prestigious Fergusson College. Impactful Reporting: He is credited with research-based articles on conservancy staff (waste workers) that influenced national policy for better working conditions. He is also known for exposing the contrast between high-end infrastructure (like helipads for leaders) and the lack of basic amenities like schools in their home districts. Personal Interests: An avid trekker and sports enthusiast, his personal interest in the outdoors often informs his reporting on environmental protection and sustainable development. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) His reporting in late 2025 has been dominated by the upcoming January 2026 Civic Polls in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, and the city's infrastructure boom: 1. Political Analysis (Civic Elections 2026) "Not friendly but a bitter fight lies ahead between BJP and NCP for PMC, PCMC" (Dec 22, 2025): A detailed look at the intense rivalry between the Mahayuti partners as they prepare for the January 15 municipal elections. "Pune civic polls: Big blow to NCP, NCP(SP) as leaders switch to BJP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on high-profile poaching and party-hopping ahead of the elections. "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): Analyzing the results of the local self-government body elections as a precursor to the main civic polls. 2. Infrastructure & Urban Development "Looking Ahead at 2026: Pune to see inauguration of much-awaited Hinjewadi to Shivajinagar metro route" (Dec 22, 2025): An "outlook" piece on the critical Metro Line 3 project expected to finish by March 2026. "Building Pune: PMC to construct double-decker bridge over Mula-Mutha River" (Dec 18, 2025): Detailing a major project aimed at easing traffic between Hadapsar and Kharadi. "Condition of highway from Pune to Kolhapur to improve in a year: Gadkari" (Dec 4, 2025): Reporting on the Union Minister’s assurances regarding one of the state's most critical transport corridors. 3. Civic Governance & Environment "Install sensors, LED indicators at construction sites within 15 days: PMC to builders" (Dec 16, 2025): A follow-up to the "Breathless Pune" series, reporting on new mandates for builders to monitor air quality in real-time. "Errors in electoral rolls: PMC corrects data of 92,466 voters" (Dec 16, 2025): Tracking the administrative efforts to clean up the voter lists before the 2026 elections. Signature Style Ajay Jadhav is known for accountability journalism. His work often bridges the gap between high-level policy and the "ground zero" reality of Pune's residents. He is particularly focused on Sustainable Development, ensuring that as Pune grows into a "Bharat Mandapam" style destination (referring to his report on the Lohegaon project), its environmental and social safeguards remain intact. X (Twitter): @ajay_khape ... Read More

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