After Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Vinod Tawde demanded an apology from Congress leaders and issued a court notice to them, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anand Dubey criticised him, suggesting that Tawde should instead file a case against BJP's "former ally," the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA), reported news agency ANI. Dubey stated that while it is Tawde's right to file a defamation case against Congress leaders, he should also consider filing a case against BVA leaders Hitendra Thakur and Jagdish Thakur. "If he wants to press defamation charges against Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, he can do so as per the law... it will go to court. But if he truly wants to file a case, it should be against Hitendra Thakur and Jagdish Thakur of BVA, who were your former allies," Dubey said in a self-recorded video, reported ANI. Dubey further alleged that the controversy surrounding the 'cash-for-votes' scandal in Maharashtra arose only after BVA leaders accused Tawde of distributing money. "On November 19, when allegations of cash distribution were made against Vinod Tawde, we saw on television that two Bahujan Vikas Aghadi leaders accused Tawde of distributing money at a hotel. Following this, Congress leaders and MVA leaders commented on these allegations," Dubey said, reported ANI. Earlier, BJP National General Secretary Vinod Tawde accused Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, and Supriya Shrinate of attempting to defame him and his party. "Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, and party spokesperson Supriya Shrinate claimed that I was caught red-handed distributing Rs 5 crore to voters. They made all kinds of dramatic statements," Tawde told ANI. "They only aimed to defame me and my party. I am deeply hurt. I come from a regular middle-class family and have been in politics for 40 years, but I have never done anything of this nature," he added. Tawde further stated that the Congress leaders "deliberately spread falsehoods" to tarnish his image, prompting him to issue a court notice demanding a public apology. "They deliberately shared this untruth with the media and the public. Hence, I have issued a court notice to them, asking them to apologise publicly or face legal action," he said. On November 19, Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA) workers caused a commotion outside a hotel in the Nalasopara assembly constituency in Palghar district, Maharashtra, accusing the BJP of "distributing money." Tawde had dismissed these allegations on the same day. (With inputs from ANI)
23 November,2024 10:40 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe BJP-led Mahayuti alliance appears poised for a sweeping victory in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, securing leads in 204 out of the 288 seats, as per figures provided by the Election Commission of India (ECI). Meanwhile, the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is faltering, leading in only 47 constituencies. According to PTI reports, the Mahayuti is on track for a landslide win, with TV channels reporting the alliance ahead in 212 seats, compared to the MVA's 68. Early trends indicate that the ruling coalition, comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction), and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, is heading for an emphatic victory. The ECI figures show the BJP leading in 111 seats, followed by Shiv Sena in 58 constituencies and the NCP in 35. In contrast, the MVA alliance, comprising the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), trails significantly. Congress is leading in 20 constituencies, the UBT Sena in 18, and the NCP (SP) in only 9. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, along with his deputies Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, is leading in their respective constituencies. Shinde is ahead by 4,053 votes in the Kopri-Pachpakhadi seat. Fadnavis holds a lead of 2,246 votes in Nagpur South-West, while Pawar is ahead by 3,759 votes in Baramati, where he faces competition from his nephew, Yugendra Pawar. Other key candidates have seen mixed results. Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole leads by 344 votes in Sakoli. Aaditya Thackeray, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and sitting MLA, maintains a 495-vote lead in Worli. Conversely, senior Congress leaders Balasaheb Thorat and Prithviraj Chavan are trailing. Thorat is behind by 1,831 votes in Sangamner, while Chavan trails by 1,590 votes in Karad South. The battle between the BJP-led Mahayuti and the opposition MVA has been closely watched, with voter turnout in the November 20 polls recorded at 66.05%, surpassing the 61.1% seen in 2019. As per PTI, the Mahayuti contested the election with the BJP fielding 149 candidates, Shiv Sena contesting 81, and Ajit Pawar’s NCP contesting 59 seats. The MVA fielded 101 Congress candidates, 95 from Shiv Sena (UBT), and 86 from the NCP (SP). The counting of votes, which began at 8 am, will determine the final outcome of this high-stakes election. Early figures suggest a clear mandate for the ruling Mahayuti, signalling continued dominance in Maharashtra politics. (With inputs from PTI)
23 November,2024 10:38 AM IST | MumbaiThe BJP-led Mahayuti alliance appears poised for a sweeping victory in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, securing leads in 204 out of the 288 seats, as per figures provided by the Election Commission of India (ECI). Meanwhile, the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is faltering, leading in only 47 constituencies. According to PTI reports, the Mahayuti is on track for a landslide win, with TV channels reporting the alliance ahead in 212 seats, compared to the MVA's 68. Early trends indicate that the ruling coalition, comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction), and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, is heading for an emphatic victory. The ECI figures show the BJP leading in 111 seats, followed by Shiv Sena in 58 constituencies and the NCP in 35. In contrast, the MVA alliance, comprising the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), trails significantly. Congress is leading in 20 constituencies, the UBT Sena in 18, and the NCP (SP) in only 9. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, along with his deputies Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, is leading in their respective constituencies. Shinde is ahead by 4,053 votes in the Kopri-Pachpakhadi seat. Fadnavis holds a lead of 2,246 votes in Nagpur South-West, while Pawar is ahead by 3,759 votes in Baramati, where he faces competition from his nephew, Yugendra Pawar. Other key candidates have seen mixed results. Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole leads by 344 votes in Sakoli. Aaditya Thackeray, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and sitting MLA, maintains a 495-vote lead in Worli. Conversely, senior Congress leaders Balasaheb Thorat and Prithviraj Chavan are trailing. Thorat is behind by 1,831 votes in Sangamner, while Chavan trails by 1,590 votes in Karad South. The battle between the BJP-led Mahayuti and the opposition MVA has been closely watched, with voter turnout in the November 20 polls recorded at 66.05%, surpassing the 61.1% seen in 2019. As per PTI, the Mahayuti contested the election with the BJP fielding 149 candidates, Shiv Sena contesting 81, and Ajit Pawar’s NCP contesting 59 seats. The MVA fielded 101 Congress candidates, 95 from Shiv Sena (UBT), and 86 from the NCP (SP). The counting of votes, which began at 8 am, will determine the final outcome of this high-stakes election. Early figures suggest a clear mandate for the ruling Mahayuti, signalling continued dominance in Maharashtra politics. (With inputs from PTI)
23 November,2024 10:36 AM IST | MumbaiThe BJP-led Mahayuti alliance surged past the halfway mark in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, leading in 172 of the 288 seats at 10 am, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) trailed significantly, securing leads in just 47 seats, as per trends released by the Election Commission of India (ECI). According to ANI reports, the Mahayuti alliance’s impressive showing includes the BJP leading in 100 constituencies, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena in 53, and the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in 33. Additionally, the Rashtriya Yuva Swabhiman Party (RYSWP), a smaller ally of the bloc, is leading in one seat. In contrast, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, composed of the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), is falling behind. Congress has gained leads in 17 constituencies, the Shiv Sena (UBT) in 18, and the NCP (SP) in 12. The Samajwadi Party (SP), another MVA ally, is ahead in two seats, as per ANI reports. Other political entities are also making their presence felt. The Jan Surajya Shakti (JSS) is leading in three constituencies, while the Peasants and Workers Party of India (PWPI) and Swatantra Bharat Paksha (SBP) are leading in two and one seat, respectively. These smaller parties are likely to support the MVA bloc in case of a closely contested result. Counting of votes for the Maharashtra Assembly elections, held on November 20, began at 8 am today, alongside the Jharkhand Assembly elections and bypolls across 15 states. The election outcomes for Maharashtra’s 288 seats and Jharkhand’s 81 seats are expected to be clear by the evening, with trends already giving the BJP-led bloc a commanding lead. The voter turnout in Maharashtra reached an impressive 66 per cent, exceeding the 61 per cent recorded in 2019. Both alliances have interpreted the increased turnout as a signal of public enthusiasm for their campaigns. State Chief Electoral Officer S Chockalingam, as per ANI, attributed the higher turnout to extensive efforts by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to enhance voter participation. "The ECI implemented meticulously planned strategies to address challenges and encourage voting, particularly in urban centres like Mumbai," he said. "This included a significant increase in the voter list between the Parliament election and the current one. Nearly 6 lakh officials contributed to ensuring smooth and efficient voting." Meanwhile, bypolls were conducted in 48 Assembly constituencies and two Lok Sabha seats across 15 states. Prominent contests included the Wayanad constituency in Kerala, where Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra made her electoral debut, and key battlegrounds in Uttar Pradesh. As counting progresses, the Mahayuti alliance appears poised to retain its hold over Maharashtra, with the BJP emerging as the dominant force in the coalition. The MVA, however, faces a steep climb if it hopes to narrow the gap in the coming hours. (With inputs from ANI)
23 November,2024 10:26 AM IST | MumbaiMumbai is expected to experience clear skies on Saturday, November 23, with temperatures ranging from a cool 20 degrees Celsius in the morning to a warm 35 degrees Celsius during the day, according to the latest Mumbai weather updates from the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD). According to the Mumbai weather updates of the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), the Santacruz observatory recorded a maximum temperature of 34.7 degrees Celcius. The Met Department data showed that the Colaba observatory recorded a temperature of 32.5 degrees. According to the latest Mumbai weather updates by the IMD, the maximum temperature will likely be around 35 degrees Celsius, and the minimum temperature will likely be around 20 degrees Celsius. The relative humidity is 48 per cent. The sun rose at 06:51 AM and will set at 5:59 PM. The IMD’s latest Mumbai weather update forecasts a "fog/mist in the morning and mainly clear sky later" for the city and its suburbs over the next 24 hours. Mumbai weather updates: City's AQI in 'moderate' category On November 23, the Central Pollution Control Board’s SAMEER app reported in its latest Mumbai weather updates that the city’s air quality remained in the 'moderate' category, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 169 at 10:05 AM. As per the SAMEER app dashboard, many areas across Mumbai showed 'moderate' AQI. Borivali East, Ghatkopar, and Malad West recorded 'poor' air quality with an AQI of 238, 252, and 223, respectively. Kandivali and Colaba recorded 'moderate' air quality with an AQI of 121 and 136, respectively. Kurla and Sion recorded 'moderate' air quality, with AQIs of 127 and 142. According to data from the SAMEER app, Navi Mumbai recorded air quality in the 'moderate' category with an AQI of 131, while Thane registered a 'moderate' AQI of 165. The air quality index from 0 to 100 is considered 'good', 100 to 200 'moderate', 200 to 300 'poor', 300 to 400 'very poor' and from 400 to 500 or above 'severe'. Meanwhile, as air pollution levels continue to rise in Mumbai, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has revised guidelines issued last year for construction sites. The civic body will also form squads at the ward level to visit construction sites and act if guidelines are flouted. Sensor-based air pollution monitoring systems will be installed at all construction project work sites and immediate action to be taken if pollution levels are detected above the limit.
23 November,2024 10:21 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentMaharashtra witnessed an extraordinary voter turnout in the recently concluded assembly elections, marking the highest participation in three decades. As results begin to trickle in, early trends indicate a strong lead for the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance (BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP), which has surged past the halfway mark. Of the nine exit polls conducted, five predicted a comfortable victory for the Mahayuti bloc. Meanwhile, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (NCP(SP)-Shiv Sena (UBT)-Congress) is trailing, though still hopeful for a turnaround as counting continues. The elections are widely seen as a litmus test for the fractured political landscape of Maharashtra, particularly the split within the Shiv Sena and the NCP. If the Maha Vikas Aghadi manages a win, it will face the uphill task of navigating internal differences over the chief ministerial candidate. Early leads and trailing candidates Thackeray cousins shine in early leads In a surprising twist, the two Thackeray cousins—Aaditya Thackeray of Shiv Sena (UBT) and Amit Thackeray—are both leading in their respective constituencies despite being on opposing sides. Aaditya Thackeray holds a 400-vote lead over Shiv Sena's Milind Deora in Worli, while Amit Thackeray, contesting his debut election, is ahead of Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Mahesh Sawant. Father-faughter duo trails in Mumbai Senior NCP(SP) leader Nawab Malik is trailing in Mankhurd, where the Samajwadi Party’s Abu Asim Azmi and AIMIM’s Ateeque Ahmad Khan are in a close fight for the lead. Meanwhile, his daughter, Sana Malik, contesting under the rival NCP banner, is trailing in Anushakti Nagar. Fahad Ahmad, NCP(SP) candidate and husband of actor Swara Bhasker, is leading in the constituency. Ajit Pawar extends lead in Baramati Deputy Chief Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar has established a significant lead of 3,759 votes in Baramati, overshadowing NCP(SP) candidate Yugendra Pawar, his nephew. Prominent leaders: Hits and misses Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis (BJP) is leading comfortably by over 2,200 votes in Nagpur South-West. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde (Shiv Sena) has widened his lead in Kopri-Pachpakhadi with a margin of over 4,000 votes. Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole is ahead by 344 votes in Sakoli. Senior Congress leader and former CM Prithviraj Chavan is trailing by 1,590 votes in Karad South. Shiv Sena's Mangesh Kudalkar is ahead of Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Praveen Morajkar by 2,360 votes in Kurla. Mahayuti strengthens its position As of 10 am, the Mahayuti alliance leads in 153 seats, while the Maha Vikas Aghadi trails with leads in 86 constituencies. Independent and smaller parties hold sway in nine constituencies. With counting underway, the focus now shifts to whether the Maha Vikas Aghadi can narrow the gap or if the Mahayuti will sail to a decisive victory. The final results will not only determine Maharashtra's next government but will also serve as a barometer for the fractured alliances and their political future.
23 November,2024 10:18 AM IST | Mumbai | Anisha ShrivastavaThe ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance has taken an early lead, securing 146 of the 288 assembly seats, while the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance is ahead in 132 constituencies, according to early trends reported by television channels. The much-anticipated counting of votes from the November 20 Maharashtra Assembly elections commenced on Saturday morning. According to PTI, the counting process began at 8 am across multiple counting centres in the state, with election officials first verifying postal ballots. This was followed by the counting of votes cast via Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). Each assembly segment is expected to have a minimum of 20 counting rounds before results are finalised, an election official stated. The elections recorded a voter turnout of 66.05 per cent, an improvement from the 61.1 per cent turnout in the 2019 assembly elections. This increase in voter participation has been attributed to intensive awareness campaigns and enhanced voting facilities, particularly in urban areas like Mumbai. The BJP-led Mahayuti coalition contested the elections with a pre-arranged seat-sharing formula. The BJP fielded candidates in 149 assembly seats, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena contested 81 seats, and the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) fought for 59 constituencies. Meanwhile, the MVA, which is seeking to reclaim power in the state, fielded its candidates under a well-coordinated alliance. The Congress contested 101 seats, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) ran for 95 seats, and the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP-SP) contested 86 constituencies. The elections are seen as a critical test for both alliances. The Mahayuti coalition is determined to retain its hold on the state, while the MVA seeks to make a strong comeback after losing power due to defections and political realignments. Observers anticipate a closely contested election given the sharp polarisation of votes. Political analysts also predict that key constituencies in Mumbai, Pune, and Nagpur will play a pivotal role in determining the final outcome. As per PTI reports, election officials and political leaders remain vigilant to ensure the smooth counting of votes. The Election Commission of India has deployed additional staff and introduced stricter monitoring measures at counting centres to maintain transparency and efficiency. The final results, expected later in the day, will not only shape the political landscape of Maharashtra but will also provide an indication of voter sentiment ahead of the 2024 general elections. (With inputs from PTI)
23 November,2024 09:55 AM IST | MumbaiEarly trends in the Maharashtra 2024 Assembly Elections indicate a promising start for the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance. As of 9:10 AM on Saturday, the alliance has taken an early lead, securing 18 seats in the initial round of counting. According to the preliminary results, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena is leading in nine constituencies, the BJP in 10, and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in eight. On the other hand, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance shows early signs of trailing, with the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) ahead in four seats, Congress leading in three, and the Shiv Sena (UBT) in two seats. Counting of votes began at 8:00 AM for the Maharashtra and Jharkhand Assembly Elections, along with bypolls in 15 states. The Maharashtra elections will determine the outcome of 288 assembly seats, while Jharkhand will decide the fate of 81 constituencies. By midday, clearer trends are expected to emerge in these fiercely contested elections. Polling in Maharashtra took place on Wednesday, recording an impressive voter turnout of over 66 percent, significantly higher than the 61 percent registered in 2019. Both the Mahayuti and MVA alliances interpret the increased participation as a positive sign for their campaigns. The Mahayuti alliance consists of the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP, while the MVA comprises Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (SP). State Chief Electoral Officer S Chockalingam lauded the Election Commission's concerted efforts to enhance voter participation, particularly in urban areas like Mumbai. "This election saw meticulous planning and implementation, resulting in a significant addition to the voter list. Special efforts were made to address challenges faced during previous elections. The arrangements were appreciated across the state, and we owe this success to nearly 6 lakh officials who ensured smooth polling," he said. In Jharkhand, voting for the first phase of its 81 assembly seats took place on November 13, with a turnout exceeding 68.45 percent—higher than the 65 percent recorded in 2019. Exit polls predict a tight race, with the BJP-led NDA alliance expected to secure 42–47 seats, while the JMM-led opposition alliance is projected to win between 25–30 seats. Meanwhile, bypolls in 48 assembly constituencies and two Lok Sabha seats across 15 states are also being counted. Among the key contests is the high-profile race in Wayanad, Kerala, marking Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's electoral debut. The results for the Maharashtra and Jharkhand assemblies, along with bypolls, are anticipated by the end of the day, providing a clearer picture of the political landscape in the country. (With inputs from ANI)
23 November,2024 09:46 AM IST | MumbaiCounting of votes in the Maharashtra assembly elections 2024 began Saturday morning, with all eyes on the outcome of the battle between the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti coalition and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, which is seeking to make a comeback. The counting of votes commenced at 8 am in all the counting centres in the state, an election official said. At the counting centres, officials first began verifying and counting the postal ballots, with the counting of EVM votes scheduled to start at 8.30 am. There will be a minimum of 20 rounds of counting in each assembly segment, an official said. The final turnout in the Maharashtra assembly elections 2024, held on November 20, was 66.05 per cent, up from 61.1 per cent in 2019. Counting of votes also began at 8 am for the Nanded Lok Sabha bypoll, where 67.81 per cent voting was recorded on November 20. Kolhapur district led with 76.63 per cent polling, followed by 75.26 per cent in Gadchiroli, which has some Left Wing Extremism affected pockets, while the lowest was in Mumbai island city at 52.07 per cent. Mumbai suburban district recorded 55.95 per cent polling. A total of 288 counting centres have been set up for the counting of votes. A total of 288 counting observers are overseeing each assembly constituency, with two observers assigned to monitor counting in the Nanded Lok Sabha bypoll, an official said. The high volume of postal ballots has led to the establishment of 1,732 tables for postal ballot counting and 592 tables for Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS) to ensure a smooth counting process across all assembly constituencies, the official said. In the Mahayuti alliance, the BJP contested 149 assembly seats, Shiv Sena 81 seats, and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP fielded candidates in 59 constituencies. In the MVA combine, the Congress fielded 101 candidates, Shiv Sena (UBT) 95, and NCP (SP) put up 86 candidates. Parties like Bahujan Samaj Party and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM), also contested, with BSP fielding 237 candidates and AIMIM putting up 17 candidates. The number of candidates this time increased by 28 per cent compared to the 2019 state assembly elections. This year, 4,136 candidates contested, up from 3,239 in 2019 elections. Among these candidates, 2,086 were independents. Rebels were in the fray in over 150 constituencies, with candidates from the Mahayuti and MVA contesting against their party's official nominees. There were 1,00,186 polling booths in Maharashtra this time, compared to 96,654 booths in the 2019 assembly elections. Mumbai police have issued an order prohibiting any assembly of people in 300-metre radius of all the 36 counting centres in the city, which comprises 36 assembly constituencies. No person, other than an official engaged with the election process or public servant engaged in duty, shall loiter or form any assembly within 300 metres radius from any counting centre, a police official said. The order is effective till midnight on November 24. The majority mark in the 288-seat Maharashtra Assembly is 145, the number any alliance or party needs to crack to be able to form government in the state. The term of the present state assembly ends on November 26. (With inputs from PTI)
23 November,2024 08:18 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe division bench of the Bombay High Court, in its recent order while hearing the custodial death case of Akshay Shinde, the prime accused in the Badlapur POCSO case, observed that the crucial recreation of the scene of the incident is still pending and that the explanation provided for the delay appears flimsy. Prosecution’s submission A team of forensic experts and police officers check the police van in which the incident occurred. Pics/Shadab Khan During the course of the hearing, Dr Birendra Saraf, advocate general, tendered a report regarding the probe by the State CID from September 24 after the investigation was transferred to the State CID, Navi Mumbai. “Dr Saraf also placed on record a document which enlists questions raised by this court vide order dated October 3, and the reply to them. He has also tendered before us the forensic expert report. All the said documents are taken on record,” the order read. ‘Appears to be flimsy’ “During the course of hearing, it was brought to our notice that the inquiry is still pending. It appears that the recreation of the scene of the incident is yet to be done. The explanation offered for the delay i.e. for not doing the same till date appears to be flimsy. Dr Saraf, on instructions of Prashant Waghunde, superintendent of police, State CID, Navi Mumbai, seeks two weeks’ time to enable the police to submit all the documents to the learned magistrate conducting the inquiry under Sections 193 and 196 of the BNNS. Statement accepted. We find that unless all the documents are submitted by the police and as sought for by the magistrate, are handed over to the magistrate, the magistrate will not be in a position to complete his inquiry in time,” the order stated. ‘Requests went unheeded’ “In order to suppress the truth, the government did not provide the required documents to the judicial magistrate who is conducting magisterial death inquiry of Shinde, as per the provisions of Section 196 of BNSS. We firmly believe that the government did not want to take any chance during election time, and hence deliberately delayed the process of State CID investigations and in submission of documents to JMFC, despite repeated requests,” said Advocate Amit Katarnaware, who represents the petitioner. Expert Speak “It may not be possible to forensically reconstruct the crime scene, as the incident happened in a moving vehicle and it is prima-facie crucial to understand the speed of the vehicle, the exact positioning of the policemen and the under-trial inside it, the exact spot where the incident of shoot-out happened,” said a forensic surgeon from Grant Medical College. Forensic aspect B B Daundakar, former director, of state forensic science laboratory, Kalina, said, “After the shoot out, it would have been advisable that the police stopped/parked their vehicle, without moving its position and should have protected the crime scene, for further forensic investigation, at the crime spot itself (Mumbra bypass). The escorting police party could have immediately contacted the police control room, informing them about the shootout, and could have called in for emergency backup including an ambulance for shifting the injured to the nearest hospital this would have prevented the police from disturbing the crime scene, which is very crucial for collection of maximum biological/ballistic evidence from the scene of crime.” Who is Akshay Shinde? The 23-year-old was arrested in mid-August for allegedly sexually assaulting two four-year-old girls in the Badlapur school where he worked as an attendant. He was killed in ‘retaliatory action’ on September 23 near Mumbra bypass after he allegedly snatched the gun of a policeman and fired shots while being escorted to Badlapur from Taloja jail as part of the probe into the case registered against him on the complaint of his former wife.
23 November,2024 08:01 AM IST | Mumbai | Vinod Kumar MenonA total of 46.29 lakh more female votes were cast in the 2024 Assembly elections as compared to the election in 2019. Similarly, 45.26 lakh more male votes were cast in this year’s elections. Though the actual number of female voters is slightly higher, voting by male voters increased by 8 percentage points from 58.5 per cent to 66.8 per cent. There was hardly a 1 percentage point increase in female voters, from 64.2 per cent in 2019 to 65.2 per cent this year. In 2019, there were a total of 4.93 crore registered male voters. Over the last five years, there has been an increase of 7.15 lakh registered male voters. During the same period, female voters increased by around 64 lakh, from 4.05 crore to 4.69 crore. This election, the overall voting percentage rose by 5 percentage points across the state. Overall, the state witnessed a surge of 89.26 lakh votes in the 2024 Assembly elections. A total of 6.4 crore votes were cast on November 20, which surpassed the 2019 voter turnout of 5.51 crore votes with a 17.28 per cent increase. The figures include votes cast by members of the transgender community. The highest male and female voting was observed in the Chinchwad constituency, with 1,83,724 female votes and 2,03,783 male votes. Meanwhile, the lowest number of female votes was cast in the Colaba constituency with only 54,058 votes and the lowest male votes were seen in Mumbadevi constituency, with 63,568 votes. The 275-Karvir Assembly constituency in Kolhapur recorded the highest voter turnout at 84.96 per cent, while 187-Colaba Assembly constituency witnessed the lowest voter turnout at 44.44 per cent. M R Parkar, joint chief election officer, Maharashtra, attributed the increase in voting to multiple factors including awareness and natural factors. “There are multiple factors which helped increase the voter turnout in the state. Of these, a major factor is voter awareness activities conducted by SVEEP (Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation) throughout the state. Apart from this, another major factor affecting the voter turnout was the day the election was held. Since it was in between weekdays, this made it almost impossible for anyone to go on a long vacation,” Parkar told mid-day. According to Parkar, the rationalisation of polling booths also played a crucial role. “Additionally, queue management in the entire state was improved, with every polling station having multiple facilities for voters that encouraged the polling process.”
23 November,2024 07:56 AM IST | Mumbai | Prasun ChoudhariADVERTISEMENT
