Pune: Reports of widespread bogus voting have surfaced across all urban Assembly constituencies in Pune during the recent Maharashtra Assembly elections, with Wadgaon Sheri and Kothrud constituencies experiencing the highest numbers.

The district election administration has confirmed that these instances of fraudulent voting are significantly more prevalent compared to previous elections.

In the eight urban Assembly constituencies in Pune, over 600 cases of bogus voting were recorded. Wadgaon Sheri constituency reported the highest count, with 162 cases of fake votes, followed by Kothrud with 93 cases.

Furthermore, these two constituencies also saw the rejection of several postal ballots, with 65 ballots invalidated in Wadgaon Sheri and 18 in Kothrud. Additionally, due to technical errors, the voting rights of 300 postal voters were voided, preventing these votes from being counted.

Other constituencies also recorded substantial cases of bogus voting, including 78 in Hadapsar, 75 in Khadakwasla, 61 in Parvati, 49 each in Shivajinagar and Pune Cantonment, and 52 in Kasba Peth, totaling 619 cases across Pune’s urban areas.

The district election administration has noted an upward trend in fake voting incidents since the previous Lok Sabha elections, with these cases further increasing in the Assembly polls, underscoring the need for stricter measures to prevent electoral fraud.