PMC Elections: Repeated Disruptions, EVM Irregularities Stall Counting at Pune Centre; Candidate’s Husband Injured in Clash
Pune, 16th January 2026: Vote counting at the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay English Medium School, Paud Phata, was repeatedly suspended on Friday following serious allegations of procedural irregularities, including mismatched Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), missing seals, incomplete vote displays and premature certification of statutory forms. The disruptions escalated into confrontations between police and candidate representatives, resulting in serious injuries to the husband of a candidate and leaving results from multiple wards undecided till late evening.
The centre was responsible for counting votes from Ward No. 29 (Deccan–Happy Colony), Ward No. 30 (Karve Nagar–Hingne Home Colony) and Ward No. 32 (Warje–Popular Nagar) under the Warje–Karve Nagar regional office. Counting commenced at 10 am amid heavy police deployment but ran into trouble almost immediately during the postal ballot stage.
Postal Ballot Dispute Triggers First Halt:
The initial interruption occurred over a disagreement regarding the number of postal ballots in Ward 29. Candidate representatives disputed whether the total stood at 36 or 37. After repeated verification, officials confirmed 36 ballots. One vote was rejected due to the absence of a mandatory declaration form, while five were invalidated due to incorrect markings. The prolonged verification process, which lasted nearly 45 minutes, sparked protests and delayed further counting.
EVM Mismatch Allegations Escalate Tensions:
Fresh controversy erupted during the first round of EVM counting when representatives alleged that the machine placed at Table No. 1 was not the same unit used during the mock poll. Supporters pointed out that while the mock poll EVM bore signatures of candidates and agents, the machine presented for counting allegedly did not. MNS candidate Ram Borkar demanded immediate clarification, triggering loud sloganeering and forcing officials to pause the process.
Despite efforts by Returning Officer Archana Yadav to restore order, the situation deteriorated further in the second round. At Table No. 12, another EVM reportedly failed to display the serial number and vote count of one candidate. Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Vaibhav Dighe joined the protest, soon followed by representatives from several parties, including Adv. Vivek Kadu, husband of Congress candidate Adv. Vandana Kadu, and Ajit Dhokale, husband of Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) candidate Sushma Dhokale.
For nearly an hour and a half, chanting and protests brought counting to a complete standstill. When some protesters attempted to breach iron barricades, police intervened, collected written objections and assured that the complaints would be forwarded to the Election Commission. However, dissatisfaction with the response led to renewed agitation.
As police moved to disperse the crowd, a scuffle broke out during which Adv. Vivek Kadu sustained serious injuries after his hand was trapped in iron fencing. With tensions escalating further, senior police officers ordered the removal of protesting candidates and representatives from the counting hall. Sloganeering continued outside the premises, and eyewitnesses reported minor stone-pelting incidents. Protesters later staged a sit-in, alleging that election officials were ignoring their objections.
Meanwhile, counting of the third and fourth rounds inside the centre was completed and figures were announced. However, the Returning Officer withheld the declaration of the second-round result for Ward 29, stating that the matter had been reported to the Chief Election Commissioner and that further instructions were awaited.
In Ward No. 30 (Karve Nagar–Hingne Home Colony), counting resumed only around 3.30 pm but was halted once more after Vikesh Shitole, husband of NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) candidate Manisha Shitole, objected to signatures being taken on Form VM-4 before counting had commenced. Following protests, officials withdrew the prematurely signed forms and assured that fresh documentation would be completed post-counting, allowing the process to restart around 5 pm.
Despite repeated disruptions, BJP candidates in Ward 29 (Deccan–Happy Colony) maintained a strong lead from the postal ballot stage through all four counting rounds. Though the official declaration remains on hold due to EVM-related objections, Sunil Pandey (A ward), Adv. Mitali Sawalekar (B ward), Manjushree Khardekar (C ward) and Punit Joshi (D ward) have consistently led by margins ranging between 3,000 and 4,000 votes, making their victory virtually certain.
