Rane elected Navi Mumbai mayor

MUMBAI, May 20: Dashrath Rane of the ruling Shiv Sena has been elected the third mayor of Navi Mumbai. He defeated his lone rival Sudam Hiw...

MUMBAI, May 20: Dashrath Rane of the ruling Shiv Sena has been elected the third mayor of Navi Mumbai. He defeated his lone rival Sudam Hiwarkar of the Congress by a margin of 21 votes.

Of the 55 votes polled, Rane got 37 against 16 for Patil. Two corporators abstained, while two votes were declared invalid.

However, Congress has accused municipal secretary Chandrakant Devkar of “electoral malpractice, corruption and favouritism.” Congress leader Dynaneshwar Ramdas Patil alleged in the House that Devkar had favoured the ruling party candidate by accepting a second set of nomination papers from him before 3 pm last Friday. The opposition had alleged that that the second set of nomination papers had been had been filed when the Sena realised that the first paper would be invalid, after the closing of the deadline for the nominations on Friday.

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When the Sena had second thoughts, a second list was hurriedly released, Patil had alleged.

This was in violation of the stipulated time according to a gazetted order for accepting nominations which was between 3 and 5 pm.

Devkar admitted the validity of the GO, but justified the timing by saying that it was done in view of the Standing Committee meeting scheduled for 3 pm on that day. He denied any malpractice. Dande accepted Devkar’s explanation.

Patil said the Standing Committee meeting could have been changed, but not the election process. He says he is moving the Bombay High Court on this issue.