Latest news with #Waghmare
Time of India
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Dates for local body elections to be announced after completion of exercises, says Maharashtra state election commissioner
Nashik: State election commissioner Dinesh Waghmare said the schedule for the upcoming local body polls would be announced after completing a series of exercises initiated for conducting the elections. "It would not be possible for the state election commission (SEC) to specify the schedule and dates for the elections at this juncture, since important exercises are being carried out to ensure that the polls take place smoothly," Waghmare told TOI. According to him, ward formation exercises are currently underway in the local bodies where the polls will be conducted. "Once this is completed, the SEC would start the task of earmarking the wards that would be reserved in each local body. Thereafter, the preparation of the electoral rolls would take place," he added. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai "All these exercises are long-drawn and time-consuming. Once these exercises are completed, SEC would be in a position to specify the poll schedule," Waghmare said. He added that the SEC is also preparing details about the requirements of EVMs and polling stations to conduct the elections. The elections for the local bodies have been significantly delayed. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like So sánh mức trượt giá: Hợp đồng tương lai (CFD) Bitcoin vs Ethereum IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo In May 2025, the Supreme Court gave its nod to the SEC to conduct the polls. There are over 600 local bodies in the state, including 29 municipal corporations and 34 zilla parishads, where the polls will be conducted. Meanwhile, NCP cabinet minister Chhagan Bhujbal predicted the local bodies polls are likely to take place between Nov and Dec 2023. "My feedback is that polls would be held in phases. Initially, the elections for the small local bodies would be held, followed by the polls for the zilla parishads. In the final phase, the polls for the municipal corporations would take place," Bhujbal said. According to Bhujbal, the SEC needs time to prepare well for the polls, which is a huge exercise. A section of the politicians said parties will start their groundwork to contest the polls after the monsoon session of the assembly wraps up. Sources both in Mahayuti and Maha Vikas Aghadi said the two coalitions are likely to contest the polls in alliance, as was the case during the parliamentary and assembly polls. "There could be some exceptions, where in a few of the local bodies, Mahayuti partners could contest the polls independently as a tie-up would not be possible," said a Mahayuti politician. According to a senior state Congress functionary, the party would like to have an alliance with NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT) in the elections. "The top brass would soon meet to discuss the alliance issue," said the Congress politician.
Time of India
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Voter list updated till July 1 will be used for local body polls: SEC
Pune: State Election Commission (SEC) will use the July 1, 2025, updated legislative assembly voters' list for the upcoming local body elections with chairperson Dinesh Waghmare directing district collectors and municipal commissioners to begin preparations based on the updated voter rolls during video conferences on Thursday and Friday. Elections are due for 29 municipal corporations, 290 nagar panchayats and parishads, 32 zilla parishads, and 336 panchayat samitis, as their terms have expired. "There is no separate voters' list for local body polls. The Election Commission of India (ECI)'s updated rolls will be used," SEC officials said, while emphasizing that the cut-off date might be revised later depending on the progress of ward delimitation and other formalities. Earlier SEC had announced that the electoral roll updated till Oct would be used. You Can Also Check: Pune AQI | Weather in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune In the meetings, Waghmare said local body elections were to be conducted on a multi-member constituency basis, requiring more polling stations than assembly polls. A separate SEC order would guide the setup criteria, ensuring accessibility for persons with disabilities and addressing basic infrastructure requirements, he said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Most Beautiful Celebs Over 30 [See List] y2mate Undo The senior SEC officials emphasized the need for immediate first-level inspections of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and robust security arrangements. State SEC has around 65,000 EVMs, while the estimated requirement is close to 1 lakh. "Once the number of polling stations is finalised, the EVM requirement will be clear. If elections are conducted in phases, the existing stock may suffice," an official said, adding that SEC would approach ECI for addressing the shortfall. Divisional commissioners have been told to coordinate with municipal bodies, reviewing polling station locations, building conditions, infrastructure and manpower needs. Waghmare said coordinated planning based on voter numbers, polling booths, EVMs and manpower would help conduct the elections in a free, fair and transparent manner. A video conference was held on Friday to chart out logistics for all 29 municipal corporations. Once the number of polling stations was finalised, officials said, it would be easier to assess the exact EVM and manpower requirement. Additional human resources from neighbouring districts could be deployed, if required. PMC, PCMC together account for over 55 lakh voters As per the updated July 1 electoral rolls, Pune district has 90.33 lakh registered voters, election officials told TOI on Friday. There were 37.95 lakh voters in the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) limits, followed by 17.14 lakh in the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) areas, the officials said, adding that the numbers might change following revisions and directions by the election body. PMC commissioner Naval Kishore Ram, who attended the meeting, said they expected to set up around 4,900 polling stations for the 38 lakh voters, with roughly 700-800 electors per booth. PMC has requested 17,000 EVMs, which SEC has assured would be provided. Ram said the voter population in city areas has increased by 2.53 lakh since the Nov assembly poll. In PCMC limits, the elections department head Avinash Shinde told TOI that around 2,400 polling booths would be required for the 17 lakh voters, with approximately 750 electors per booth. PCMC has requested 2,800 control units and 10,000 ballot units from SEC. Shinde said 38,678 voters were added to the rolls since last Nov.
Time of India
02-07-2025
- Time of India
Trio arrested for illegal firearm trade in Jalna
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: The Sadar Bazaar police in Jalna district on Tuesday arrested Avinash Ankush Waghmare, a 24-year-old resident of Malipura in Old Jalna, at Jijamata Chowk for possession of a country-made pistol. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The arrest led to the uncovering of a local illegal weapon supply chain, which allegedly involves the son of a serving police constable. Police, acting on a tip-off, arrested Waghmare with the illegal weapon. During interrogation, Waghmare reportedly confessed to purchasing the pistol through Sheikh Shakeel, who acted as a middleman. Shakeel, in turn, allegedly procured the weapon from Jai Kanhaiya Bhandarkar. Police have identified Bhandarkar as the son of a police constable currently posted at the district police headquarters. The involvement of a police constable's son in the alleged illegal arms trade has garnered significant attention, including from senior police officers at the Director General of Police's office. Virendra Mishra, special inspector for the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar range, said, "Once a person breaches the line, they should face the legal heat." Based on the findings, the police have booked all three — Waghmare, Shakeel, and Bhandarkar — under section 3/25 of the Arms Act and section 135 of the Maharashtra Police Act for illegal possession and trade of firearms. The operation was led by inspector Sandeep Bharti. "Investigation is underway to trace the origins of the weapon and determine whether more people are involved in the illegal arms network," a police officer said. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Those privy to the probe said senior police officers, including superintendent of police Ajay Kumar Bansal, have taken serious cognizance of the incident. "They have issued directives to not only unearth the chain, including the source of manufacturing, but also to initiate stringent action against all the nabbed accused," the officer said.
Time of India
01-07-2025
- Science
- Time of India
CICR developing genome editing technique for higher cotton yield
1 2 Nagpur: The Central Institute of Cotton Research (CICR) is now working on a technique to tweak the DNA of cotton plants to ensure higher yield. This method, called genome editing, is among the latest techniques adopted for agricultural research in the country. Genome editing is different from the more complex genetic engineering technology, which involves introducing an additional gene. Cotton farmers are currently using Bt cotton, a genetically engineered variety with an additional gene that provides resistance to the bollworm pest. Speaking to TOI on the sidelines of a seminar on climate-resilient farming, CICR director VN Waghmare said that genetic editing involves changes in DNA sequencing. The aim is to develop compact cotton plants with higher boll formation. It may take another two or three years to achieve the results, he said. Former director of CICR, CD Mayee, said that the Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) is also encouraging the use of genome editing. Recently, new varieties of paddy were released, which can help in developing varieties suitable for dry conditions. Regarding the reports on rampant use of illegal herbicide-tolerant (HT) seeds in the region, Waghmare said it may not be a prudent idea. This is because farmers here adopt the practice of inter-cropping, where no single crop is grown on a stretch. This means that even if farmers use HT seeds, they won't be able to use weed killers due to the presence of other plants. Waghmare noted that areas in predominantly paddy belts have also started growing cotton. For example, the trend has begun in Gadchiroli too. Farmers are adopting it because of the rugged nature of the crop. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Doctor's Day 2025 , messages and quotes!
Time of India
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
State poll chief reviews local body election preparations in Kolhapur
Kolhapur: Maharashtra state election commissioner Dinesh Waghmare reviewed the preparations for the upcoming local self-govt elections in Kolhapur district, encompassing municipal corporations, zilla parishad, and nagar panchayats. District collector Amol Yedge presented details regarding the local bodies contesting the polls, voter numbers, EVMs, polling station arrangements, and provided a briefing on the ward delimitation schedule. Waghmare issued clear instructions to implement the ward delimitation according to the timeline provided to the administration. "Verify all facilities, polling stations, and complete the necessary repairs. The basic amenities like water, electricity, and toilets must be ready at the polling centres. The staff must be trained to make the process transparent and efficient," the poll chief said. Following the meeting, Waghmare visited the strong room at Karvir tehsil office where the state election commission's EVMs are stored. He inspected the security and management of the EVMs during the visit and expressed satisfaction after examining the arrangements and security system. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Doctor's Day 2025 , messages and quotes!
