The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has escalated its challenge to the recent spate of unopposed victories in civic elections, urging the Maharashtra State Election Commission (SEC) to halt the declaration of such results across the state, including in the Thane Municipal Corporation.

A delegation led by senior MNS leader Avinash Jadhav met the SEC on Monday, demanding an independent and time-bound probe into what the party describes as “serious distortions” in the nomination and withdrawal process. Jadhav, who heads the party’s Thane–Palghar unit, insisted that the inquiry should be conducted by a joint panel comprising retired judges and senior police officials to ensure credibility and neutrality.

According to the MNS, opposition candidates were systematically prevented from contesting. The party alleged that some aspirants were pressured to withdraw, others were allegedly offered inducements, while several nomination papers were rejected on technical grounds using official machinery. These actions, the party claims, paved the way for ruling alliance candidates to secure victories without a contest, undermining the democratic process.

The controversy gained momentum after it emerged that 68 candidates from the ruling Mahayuti alliance were declared elected unopposed following the close of withdrawals. The Mahayuti coalition—comprising the BJP, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP—saw the BJP account for the largest share of these seats, followed by the Shiv Sena and the NCP.

While municipal corporation elections across Maharashtra are scheduled for mid-January, the Election Commission has already ordered a preliminary examination into complaints surrounding the unopposed wins. However, opposition parties argue that a deeper investigation is required given the scale and pattern of the alleged irregularities.

Adding to the pressure on the poll body, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) has echoed similar concerns. The Sena (UBT), which has joined hands with the MNS for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections, has accused ruling leaders of exerting influence on election officials during crucial nomination hours. Senior leader Sanjay Raut has publicly suggested that election staff were subjected to political pressure, raising questions over the fairness of the process.