Maharashtra SEC Orders 50,000 EVMs, Rents 25,000 More For Local Body Polls Post-Diwali

Mumbai: The Maharashtra State Election Commission (SEC) has placed an order for 50,000 electronic voting machines (EVMs) and signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Madhya Pradesh SEC to rent an additional 25,000 machines. These EVMs will be deployed for the upcoming local body elections in the state.

The SEC is preparing to conduct elections for 687 rural and urban local bodies in Maharashtra in three phases after Diwali. As per SEC estimates, approximately 150,000 EVMs will be needed for the entire polling exercise, as reported by Hindustan Times.

“The 50,000 EVMs ordered from Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) can be used in multi-member wards,” said Dinesh Waghmare, State Election Commissioner, as reported.

While voters in Lok Sabha and state assembly elections select a single candidate per constituency, some municipal corporations and district councils in Maharashtra require voters to choose multiple candidates in one ward. EVMs designed for multi-member ballots are essential in such cases, officials explained.

Each of the 50,000 ECIL EVMs, equipped with a memory module and battery, will cost Rs 20,000 and is expected to be delivered by October. The rental cost for the 25,000 machines from the Madhya Pradesh SEC has been fixed at Rs 1,000 per unit, Waghmare added.

According to the SEC’s plan, local body elections will be conducted in three stages post-Diwali. The first phase, likely in November, will cover district councils and panchayat samitis. The second phase, expected in December, will involve municipal councils and nagar panchayats. The final phase will include municipal corporations such as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

Vote counting may also be staggered, with each phase potentially being counted separately. A final decision on the counting schedule will be taken after consultations with political parties, according to an official from the Urban Development Department.