Ganesh Naik Unable To Vote In Navi Mumbai Civic Polls

Maharashtra Forest Minister and senior BJP leader Ganesh Naik could not cast his vote in the Navi Mumbai civic polls on Thursday after his name was found missing from the voters’ list, according to PTI.

Naik said he had been voting for several years at Navi Mumbai School No. 94 along with his family, but was informed this time that his polling station had been shifted to St Mary High School. When he reached the new venue, however, he was unable to locate the designated room and found that his name did not appear on the electoral roll, PTI reported.

"When I went there, there was no room number 9 as informed, and my name was not in the voters' list, so I could not cast my vote," Naik told reporters with a wry smile outside School No. 94.

He said he would visit St Mary High School again to check if the issue could be resolved. Naik also claimed that although his family members and relatives live in the same building in Navi Mumbai, their names had been split across three different polling centres, according to PTI.

When asked who should be held responsible for the lapse, Naik blamed the State Election Commission.

"It is anyone's guess that if a minister like me can face a situation where his name is missing from the voters' list, then one can imagine what might be happening to common voters," he stated.

Voting was underway on Thursday for elections to 29 municipal corporations across Maharashtra, including Navi Mumbai, PTI reported.

(With inputs from PTI)