Who is Dinesh Waghmare, Maharashtra SEC under fire amid civic poll controversies?

A 1994-batch IAS officer of the Maharashtra cadre, Waghmare took charge as the seventh State Election Commissioner on January 28, 2025, soon after retiring as Additional Chief Secretary to the state government. His tenure coincided with one of the largest civic election exercises in the state, involving over 3.48 crore voters across 29 municipal corporations.

Waghmare holds a BTech in Electronic Engineering from Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, Nagpur, an MTech in Computer Science from IIT Kharagpur, and an MSc in Development Project Planning from the University of Bradford in the UK.

Over a long administrative career, he handled several key assignments in the Maharashtra government, including stints as Principal Secretary in the Home, Energy and Social Justice departments, Chairman and Managing Director of Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company Limited, and Municipal Commissioner of Pimpri Chinchwad and Navi Mumbai. He also served as Divisional Commissioner Amravati, the Collector of Buldhana, Chief Executive Officer of multiple Zilla Parishads, and chairman of the Nagpur Improvement Trust.

Earlier controversy

Before taking charge as the SEC, Waghmare found himself in the middle of a political controversy while serving as the Social Justice Department Secretary. The issue arose in 2017 after his son received a government-funded overseas scholarship to study at Pennsylvania State University under a scheme meant for Scheduled Caste students. Opposition parties alleged a conflict of interest. Waghmare defended himself, saying the income limits were relaxed years earlier and that students admitted to top-ranked global universities were exempt from the income cap. No official action followed, but the episode drew political attention.

Civic polls and criticism

As the SEC, Waghmare has faced sharp criticism this time, with Opposition parties and voter groups questioning several decisions taken after the election schedule was announced. These include delays in uploading candidates’ affidavits, permission for door-to-door campaigning in the last 48 hours, the introduction of PADU (Printing Auxiliary Display Unit) machines during the counting in Mumbai, staggered counting of votes, and the handling of complaints related to unopposed wins, and violations of the Model Code of Conduct.

Polling day problems and the controversy over indelible ink further added to the criticism. Responding to allegations that the ink could be wiped off, Waghmare defended the process and warned of action in case of misuse.

Waghmare said the same ink that has always been used is being applied and that no new substance has been introduced. He said the State Election Commission has been using this ink in marker pen form since 2011.

“The ink takes about 10 to 12 seconds to dry after being applied. During this time the voter is still inside the polling booth. Once it dries it cannot be removed. This is the same ink used by the Election Commission of India. If double voting takes place, action will be taken against the presiding officer of the polling booth,” Waghmare said. He also claimed that a fake narrative was being spread about the ink being wiped off. “Voters also have a responsibility not to rub off the ink. If the ink is removed before it dries, it is the voter’s fault. A criminal case can also be registered against such voters,” Waghmare said.

Waghmare said that videos circulating on social media would be investigated and action would be taken against anyone spreading misinformation. He also blamed voters for confusion over polling booth locations, stating that voters should have checked their polling booth details and names online in advance.