Daijiworld Media Network - Solapur

Solapur, Feb 7: Voting for Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections 2026 is underway across Maharashtra today, with citizens flocking polling booths since early morning. However, the day has already witnessed unusual and controversial incidents.

At the Yashwantnagar polling station in Akluj, a shocking event unfolded when Zilla Parishad candidate Arjun Singh Mohite Patil’s young son reportedly pressed the EVM button while accompanying his father inside the booth. Commenting on the incident, Mohite Patil said, “The boy wanted to see how people vote, so he was taken inside with him.” The unusual explanation drew raised eyebrows among the attendees. The incident happened in the presence of polling officials, who reportedly raised objections, but the boy had already interacted with the machine. Since only registered voters are allowed near EVMs, the incident has sparked concerns of a potential controversy.

Meanwhile, another incident at the same Akluj polling station caused a temporary disruption in voting. A wrong button was pressed on the EVM, leading to the machine shutting down for nearly an hour. Voting resumed only after the machine was repaired. The Election Commission had set up a women-only polling station at Yashwantnagar, with all staff being female. Rangoli patterns and other decorations were arranged outside to attract voters. Voting began at 7:30 a.m., covering 68 seats in Solapur district, with Rural Development and Guardian Minister Jaykumar Gore and Mohite Patil actively involved in the elections.

In Parbhani, an unusual ritual caught public attention at a polling booth in Ranisavargaon, Gangakhed taluka. Govind Done, husband of Panchayat Samiti candidate Urmila Govind Done, performed a puja at the booth by breaking coconuts and offering gulal, which became a topic of discussion among voters.