65 per cent polling in Maha municipal council polls

Around 65 per cent polling was reported in elections to 147 municipal councils and 17 nagar panchayats in Maharashtra today.
The voting which began at 7.30 AM and ended at 5.30 PM, witnessed sporadic incidents of group clashes, an official said.
Voters of Raghuchiwadi village in Osmanabad district boycotted the election to protest non-availability of basic amenities to the village, the official said.
During polling for the Karad municipal council in Satara district, chairman of the Maharashtra State Cooperation Council, Shekhar Charegaonkar allegedly warned a woman police constable of suspension after she objected to him taking his vehicle near the polling booth.

In Wardha district, Rs 3.5 lakh cash was seized from the vehicle of an NCP candidate.
In Chandrapur district, an Independent candidate climbed atop a high power cable tower and tried to woo voters.

In Parbhani district, three people were injured during quarrel between two groups, while polling for the Gangakged municipal council was on, police said.
In Osmanabad district, police registered an offence under section 307 (attempt to murder) of IPC against 27 persons, after two policemen were injured in stone pelting near a police station during polling for the Murum municipal council.
In Sangli district, a call for bandh was given for tomorrow after clashes between BJP and Congress activists during polling for the Tasgaon civic body.

In 41 cases during the campaign for the first phase of elections, Rs 26.04 crore cash was seized, police said.
As many as 15,827 candidates were in the fray for the 3,706 seats spread over the municipal councils and nagar panchayats, where the first phase of polling was held today.
He said 147 municipal councils and 18 nagar panchayats
were to vote in the first phase.
However, for Shirala Nagar Panchayat in Sangli district, no nomination was received. As a result, voting is being held in 3,706 seats for the 164 municipal councils and nagar panchayats.
A total of 24,191 nominations were received. Out of this, 20,716 papers were found valid. As many as 4,889 candidates withdrew.

For the municipal council presidents posts, 2,374 nominations were received. As many as 1,533 papers were found valid, while 520 withdrew.
Counting of votes will be taken up at 10 AM tomorrow, the official said.