Vasai–Virar: Ahead of the upcoming civic elections, the Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation (VVMC) has taken a major decision allowing voters with duplicate entries, commonly referred to as “double voters”, to select a single polling station where they will cast their vote. The move has sparked political controversy in the Vasai Virar region.
The decision has drawn strong opposition from the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA), which has approached the High Court challenging the VVMC’s stand. The matter is scheduled to come up for hearing on December 22.
VVMC Elections After Five Years: Stakes High in Vasai Virar
The general elections for the Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation are set to be held after a gap of five years. The municipal area is divided into 29 wards, with four corporators to be elected from 28 wards and three corporators from one ward, taking the total strength of the civic body to 115 seats.
With elections approaching, all major political parties in Vasai Virar have intensified their preparations, while the municipal administration is engaged in large-scale planning to ensure a smooth polling process.
Over 11 Lakh Voters, Thousands of Duplicate Names Found
The VVMC recently released the draft voter list for the civic elections. According to official data, the list includes a total of 11,27,640 voters. The voter list has been prepared on the basis of the Assembly constituency rolls valid up to July 1, 2025.
However, scrutiny of the ward-wise voter list revealed a significant issue. Around 52,378 voter names were found to be duplicated, creating concerns over electoral transparency and possible misuse during polling in Vasai and Virar.
Political Parties Raise Objections Over Duplicate Voters
After examining the draft voter list, several political parties raised objections, highlighting the presence of a large number of duplicate entries. The Bahujan Vikas Aghadi claimed that nearly 80,000 names were duplicated across different wards and demanded immediate cancellation of such entries.
The issue of double voters has since become a major talking point in local political circles, with fears that it could influence the outcome of closely contested wards.
VVMC’s Solution: Choose One Polling Station
To address the issue, the Election Commission permitted voters with duplicate names to vote at only one polling station of their choice. Following this directive, the VVMC published a list of around 50,000 duplicate voters on its official website.
The municipal corporation has appealed to affected voters in Vasai Virar to verify their names and submit a form selecting the single polling booth where they intend to cast their vote.
BVA Challenges Decision in High Court
Despite the clarification, the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi has escalated the matter by filing a petition in the High Court. BVA spokesperson Ajeev Patil has questioned the logic of allowing duplicate names to remain on the voter list.
“Instead of merely taking an undertaking form, the duplicate names should be directly cancelled. Since there are a large number of duplicate names in individual wards, the possibility of misuse cannot be ruled out,” Patil stated.
The High Court is expected to hear the petition on December 22, a date keenly watched by political parties and voters across Vasai Virar.
Vasai Virar Voters Await Clarity Before Polls
As the civic elections draw closer, voters in Vasai and Virar are seeking clarity and transparency in the electoral process. The High Court’s decision is likely to play a crucial role in determining how the issue of duplicate voters is finally resolved.
With high stakes, intense political competition, and voter concerns at the forefront, the Vasai Virar civic elections are shaping up to be one of the most closely watched local polls in the region.
