PMC Elections 2017 Live Updates: Union Minister Prakash Javadekar cast his vote from Pune while Nitin Gadkari voted in Nagpur Municipal Corporation Polls.The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) civic polls take place today (February 21) and a total of 1,090 candidates are fighting for 162 seats. The counting for the elections will take place on February 23 and the results will be declared on the same day. Major parties that are taking part in the BMC election include Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiv Sena, Congress, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

Here are the PMC Elections 2017 Live Updates:

February 22 Updates

4:30 PM: While the state political situation between Shiv Sena and BJP is affecting the Municipal Elections, the Congress party wishes to benefit and emerge as the winner during tomorrow counting of votes.

3:00 PM: The rural districts of Pune have registered a record high voting percentage of 70 per cent for Zila Parishad and Panchayat as compared to the 55.5 per cent voting turnout in the PMC elections.

2:00 PM: In the 2012 elections od all the 100 corporations in the state, the Sena led in Mumbai and Thane, BJP led in Nagpur and Akola, Congress-led in Solapur and Amravati, NCP in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad and MNS in Nashik.

12:50 PM: Apart from Mumbai, out of the 9 municipal corporations across the state that received mixed polling reactions, BJP hopes to wrest Pune from the NCP and Solapur from Congress.

11:50 AM: Despite freebies and public awareness campaigns, the voter turnout was only 4.58 per cent more than the 2012 civic polls. The PMC polls had expected a turnout of 65-70 percent.

February 21 Updates

6:30 PM: According to the latest reports, Mumbai saw a voter turnaround of 52.17% till 5 PM.

5:55 PM: Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma also voted in the BMC Polls today:

ANI

5:30 PM: BRT construction in Pune is an on-going project. PMC’s report titled “Network Development for BRT for Pune City under the Scheme of JnNURM, July 2006 identified 30 roads adding up to 118.43 km in length for implementing the BRTS. The project cost overran by 230 crores which was about 50 per cent of the budget in a month.

5:00 PM: We have entered the last one hour of voting. We have witnessed 43% voting in Pune till 3:30 PM.

4:10 PM: Mula and Mutha two rivers in Pune, synonymous with the identity of Pune, can hardly be termed as ‘rivers’ any more, due to the senseless damage caused to them over the past few decades. Builders and local residents have turned it into a dumping site, according to activists. They have also encroached on the river banks

3:40 PM:  Voting turnaround till 11:30 AM in the morning:

Mumbai – 16.04%

Thane – 19.30%

Ulhasnagar – 12.87%

Nashik – 18.54%

Pune – 17.61%

Solapur – 17%

Amravati – 19.58%

Akola – 19.24%

Nagpur – 18%

Sarasari – 17.07%

2:55 PM: Varun Dhawan clears that he was talking about Lok Sabha elections:

2:30 PM: Amongst the national-level issues that may affect the way the public votes is PM Narendra Modi’s demonetisation drive order that caused a lot of inconvenience to the common man, but which had the salutary aim of fighting black money and to move India towards a more cashless financial system. Established in February 1950, Pune Municipal Corporation controls the whole administration of Pune.

2:20 PM: Mula and Mutha two rivers in Pune, synonymous with the identity of Pune, can hardly be termed as ‘rivers’ anymore, due to the senseless damage caused to them over the past few decades. Builders and local residents have turned it into a dumping site, according to activists. They have also encroached on the river banks

1:50 PM: Union Minister Prakash Javadekar addressing the media after casting his vote:

1:35 PM: Red Dot campaign kicked off on February 7 2017 under Pune’s SWaCH wastepicker cooperative, the KKPKP waste-picker trade union and PMC — kicked off a massive, city-wide “Red Dot” campaign.

1:00 PM: A candidate in Pune reportedly worshipped the polling booth before casting his booth. Nagpur Municipal Corporation witnessed 16% voting till 11:30 AM.

ANI

12:50 PM: Varun Dhawan arrived to vote but didn’t find his name on the list. He said, it’s bizarre because he voted last year and will find out with Election Commission why his name is missing.

ANI

12:25 PM: “I request people of Maharashtra to use their right to vote. It is your duty and if you won’t invest your time in it, democracy will never improve. So, take out some time from your schedule and please vote today,” says Devendra Fadnavis, Chief Minister, Maharashtra.

12:05 PM: Pune Metro will be operational by 2021, said officials according to Indian Express. It is an under construction metro rail based rapid transit system for the city of Pune, India. It is estimated to cost ₹114.20 billion. According to report of February 12, 35 per cent of the work is done, said officials. The government gave approval for the project in December 2016.

11:25 AM: You may want to watch the video:

11:10 AM: BRT construction in Pune is an on-going project. PMC’s report titled “Network Development for BRT for Pune City under the Scheme of JnNURM, July 2006 identified 30 roads adding up to 118.43 km in length for implementing the BRTS. The project cost overran by 230 crores which was about 50 per cent of the budget in a month.

10:50 AM:  Election Commissioner JS Saharia casts his vote at KC college. There has been 12% voting Pune till 9:30 AM.

10:40 AM: Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde cast his vote with his family in Solapur:

ANI

10:20 AM: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari casts his vote in Nagpur Municipal Corporation polls. Before casting his vote, he said BJP should win at least 100 seats.

ANI

10:00 AM: There has been 7% voting in PMC election up to 9:30 AM as some big faces like Union Minister Prakash Javadekar and cricketer Kedar Jadhav cast their votes.

9:50 AM: Indian cricketer  Kedar Jadhav casts his vote with family at Pune. He had an outstanding series against England last month where he emerged as the Man of the Series scoring a match-winning century in the first ODI. He’ll be seen action in the IPL starting from 5th April.

9:30 AM: With most eyes on BMC elections, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar casts his vote with family at Pune.

ANI

9:05 am: Pune Mayor Prashant Jagtap cast his vote.

7:31 am: Voting in Civic Body Polls start in multiple cities of Maharashtra at 7.30am. People queue up at a booth on Mumbai’s Pedder Road.

7:29 am: Giving details of the implementation of the code of conduct, Saharia said over 200 illegal weapons were seized in different parts of the state in which 188 weapons were seized from areas under municipal corporations. Police seized three lakh litres of liquor, he said, adding that the Excise Department seized alcohol worth over Rs four crore.

7:03 am: For the 162 seats of Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), a total 1,090 candidates are contesting the election, Saharia said.

PMC looks after the civic and infrastructural needs of the city and its residents. The city is divided into 48 wards and each ward is represented by 3 members and the corporation is led by the Mayor of Pune. Alongside Pune, a number of other civic body polls are being held in Maharashtra including BMC, Pimpri Chinchwad, Nagpur, Nashik, Ulhasnagar, Thane, Solapur, Akola, Amravati and more. Among the problems that have been highlighted are transportation, water supply, garbage and even transportation. Also, considering that Pune is expanding at a fast pace, rampant urbanisation and its related problems have acquired emergency roportion. The voting will start at 7.30 am and end at 5.30 pm.