Mumbai Civic Polls: Vote Counting to Proceed in Phases, Sparking Concerns
Mumbai's upcoming civic election vote counting will follow a different pattern this time. Unlike the 2017 elections, counting will not happen simultaneously across all 227 electoral wards. Instead, it will proceed in phases.
Phased Counting Approach
The city has 23 returning officers, each responsible for nearly 10 wards. At any given time, votes from only two wards per officer will be counted. This means a maximum of 46 wards across Mumbai will undergo counting simultaneously.
Officials defend this phased approach. They argue it will speed up the counting process. All available human resources can focus on just two wards at a time. This concentrated effort should lead to faster completion for those specific wards.
Candidates Express Apprehensions
However, this new method has raised significant concerns among BMC election candidates. Many worry it will delay the declaration of results. They fear early trends for all seats will not emerge quickly after counting begins on Friday morning. Some ward results may only come later in the day.
At a Monday press conference at the civic headquarters, Additional Municipal Commissioner Dr. Ashwini Joshi confirmed the plan. She stated counting would proceed for two 'prabhags' or wards at a time. Once completed, counting for the remaining wards would commence.
Political Reactions and Suspicions
Veteran former corporator Vishakha Raut, contesting on a Shiv Sena (UBT) ticket from Shivaji Park in Dadar, voiced strong objections. Under Returning Officer 19, her ward number 191 is the last corporator ward. This means counting for her constituency could occur at the very end.
"What was the need to change the system?" Raut questioned. "Simultaneous counting of votes would be better. Once counting begins, there is so much enthusiasm. Everyone wants to know what the results are."
BJP MLA and the party's Mumbai unit president Ameet Satam called the decision administrative. Still, he suggested it would have been preferable to conduct counting all together. "It could have been finished at one go," Satam remarked.
Congress MLA from Malad Aslam Shaikh expressed deeper suspicions. He hinted at possible manipulation by the time counting for the final wards begins. "Phasewise counting was not needed at all," Shaikh stated. "What is the reason to keep some wards at the end? For so many years they followed a pattern. Why the need to change it now?"
Logistics and Technical Backup
Once voting concludes on January 15, all EVMs will be transported to two strongrooms located at Vikrohli and Kandivli. On counting day Friday, the machines will return to the 23 offices where the actual counting will occur.
The prescribed procedure involves connecting the control unit with the ballot unit to count votes recorded on the machines. If technical difficulties arise during this process, authorities have a backup plan.
Printing Auxiliary Display Units (PADUs) will be deployed for the first time in these civic polls. These units will ensure vote counting continues in case of EVM glitches. A total of 140 PADUs, supplied by Bharat Electronics Limited, have been received. They will remain with returning officers strictly for emergency use.
This phased counting method marks a significant departure from previous elections. While officials promise efficiency, political candidates remain wary. The coming days will reveal whether this new approach delivers speed or sparks controversy.
