Maharashtra SEC Dinesh Waghmare Faces Scrutiny Amid Civic Poll Controversies

• What happened: Maharashtra State Election Commissioner Dinesh T Waghmare is under fire over multiple irregularities during recent municipal corporation elections.

• Why it matters now: Allegations of delayed affidavits, last-minute campaigning, and indelible ink issues have raised concerns about election integrity.

• What changes for people: Voters and political parties are questioning the fairness and transparency of civic polls affecting over 3.48 crore voters.

• Who is affected: Residents of 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra, political parties, and election officials.

Dinesh T Waghmare, a 1994-batch IAS officer, assumed office as Maharashtra’s seventh State Election Commissioner on January 28, 2025, shortly after retiring as Additional Chief Secretary. His tenure coincided with one of the state’s largest civic polls, involving 3.48 crore voters across 29 municipal corporations.

A tech-savvy bureaucrat, Waghmare holds a BTech in Electronic Engineering from VNIT Nagpur, an MTech in Computer Science from IIT Kharagpur, and an MSc in Development Project Planning from the University of Bradford, UK. Over his career, he has served as Municipal Commissioner of Pimpri Chinchwad and Navi Mumbai, Principal Secretary in multiple departments, Divisional Commissioner of Amravati, and chairman of Nagpur Improvement Trust.

Earlier controversies include a 2017 incident when his son received a government-funded overseas scholarship, which opposition parties flagged as a conflict of interest. Waghmare defended himself, citing exemptions for top-ranked universities.

Civic Poll Criticism

This election cycle, Waghmare’s decisions have drawn sharp criticism:

• Delayed uploading of candidates’ affidavits

• Permission for door-to-door campaigning in last 48 hours

• Introduction of PADU machines during vote counting in Mumbai

• Staggered counting and handling of unopposed wins

Polling day problems also fueled controversy, particularly regarding indelible ink. Allegations that the ink could be wiped off circulated on social media. Waghmare clarified that the same ink used since 2011 is being applied, which takes 10–12 seconds to dry and cannot be removed afterward. He added that voters rubbing off ink prematurely would be held accountable and could face criminal charges.

Waghmare also warned of action against anyone spreading misinformation online and emphasized that voters should verify polling booth details in advance to avoid confusion.

What to watch next: Opposition parties, including Shiv Sena (UBT), have demanded Waghmare’s suspension. Investigations into election-day complaints and social media misinformation are ongoing, which could impact the credibility of Maharashtra’s municipal polls.