Election: Maharashtra SEC Allows Women Candidates to Use Both Maiden and Married Names on EVMs
Mumbai, 28th July 2025: In a significant move ahead of upcoming local body elections, the Maharashtra State Election Commission (SEC) has permitted women candidates to display both their maiden and married names on Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), subject to certain conditions.
According to SEC officials, women can opt for both names to appear on EVMs if they submit a formal request along with valid documents. This provision is expected to benefit candidates who are known publicly by both their pre- and post-marriage names.
The directive, signed by SEC Secretary Suresh Kakani, outlines the procedure: the name on the nomination form must match the one listed in the official voters’ list. After filing the nomination, candidates may submit a written application to the returning officer requesting that both names appear on the EVM. However, the application must be submitted before the final date of withdrawal of nominations.
To support the request, candidates are required to submit either a marriage certificate or a government gazette notification confirming the name change. In cases where the gazette notification is not available, one of 17 alternative identity documents — listed in a 2011 SEC order — can be provided.
“This decision gives recognition to a woman’s dual identity — both before and after marriage. It empowers her to contest elections without being forced to abandon one for the other,” a senior SEC official said. The official added that both names will be printed in full on the EVM, subject to space availability.
Maharashtra has a 50% reservation for women in local self-government bodies, including municipal corporations, councils, nagar panchayats, zilla parishads, and panchayat samitis. This includes over 1,370 seats in municipal corporations and 3,885 seats in smaller civic bodies, providing a significant opportunity for women’s political participation.
The decision has been welcomed by civil society groups and political observers alike.
“In many parts of Maharashtra, a woman’s entire name changes after marriage. By allowing both names on the EVM, the SEC has taken a practical and inclusive step toward acknowledging her complete identity,” said a Pune-based political analyst.
The move is being seen as a progressive reform aimed at making the electoral process more inclusive and sensitive to social realities.
