MUMBAI, Jan. 3 -- : The Maharashtra State Election Commission has ordered a statewide inquiry into 69 candidates declared elected unopposed across 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra, following serious allegations of coercion, intimidation and inducements that allegedly led to large-scale withdrawals of nomination papers ahead of the January 2 deadline.
In a rare and significant move, the Commission has directed that the results of these unopposed victories will not be formally notified until the probe is completed.
According to official data, 68 of the 69 unopposed seats have gone to the ruling Mahayuti alliance, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) winning 44 seats, the Shiv Sena securing 22 seats and the Nationalist Congress Part...