In a significant pre-poll development, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has secured its first victory in the upcoming Panvel City Municipal Corporation (PCMC) general elections even before voters could cast their ballots. This unusual win came after the nomination of the sole opposing candidate was declared invalid during scrutiny.
Nomination Scrutiny Leads to Unopposed Win
The candidate who has been elected unopposed is BJP's Raigad district secretary Nitin Jairam Patil. He had filed his nomination papers to contest from ward number 18B. The only other candidate in the fray for this ward was Rohan Arvind Gawand of the Shetkari Kamgar Paksha, who was seeking to contest from a reserved backward class category.
However, during the mandatory scrutiny of nomination papers held on Wednesday, a formal objection was raised against Gawand's application. The objection centered on the non-compliance and submission of inadequate caste verification documents. Following the due process, the Returning Officer for the election, Pawan Chandak, announced the rejection of Rohan Gawand's candidature.
Only Two Candidates Filed Nominations
With Gawand's application rendered invalid, the electoral picture for ward 18B became clear. Since only two individuals had initially filed their nominations, the rejection left Nitin Jairam Patil as the sole valid candidate in the contest. According to election rules, this scenario results in the candidate being declared elected unopposed.
This event marks the opening of the BJP's account in the PCMC elections in a rather straightforward manner, bypassing the need for a actual poll in this particular ward. The scrutiny process, a critical step to ensure all candidates meet the legal eligibility criteria, thus directly resulted in a victory for the BJP.
Implications for the Upcoming Civic Polls
This unopposed win provides an early morale boost to the BJP as it gears up for the full-fledged municipal elections in Panvel. It underscores the importance of meticulous documentation during the nomination process, especially for candidates contesting from reserved categories. Political analysts will be watching to see if this early gain influences the party's campaign momentum in the remaining wards.
The focus now shifts to the other wards where voting will take place as scheduled. The incident in ward 18B serves as a reminder that in elections, victories can sometimes be secured off the field, through strict adherence to procedural rules and validation checks.
