Daijiworld Media Network – Kopargaon

Kopargaon, Nov 25: In a key development ahead of the Kopargaon municipal elections, the court has dismissed a petition challenging the nominations of NCP mayoral candidate Omprakash Koyte and 28 councilor candidates, validating their candidacies and allowing them to contest the polls.

The petition was filed by BJP mayoral candidate Parag Sandhan, who alleged that signatures were missing on affidavits submitted by Koyte and his councilor nominees. After a two-day hearing, Additional Sessions Judge D.D. Almale rejected the petition, clearing the path for the NCP team.

The election process is being overseen by Returning Officer and Sub-Divisional Magistrate Bharati Sagare (Gaisamudre), assisted by Tehsildar Mahesh Sawant, Assistant Returning Officer Suhas Jagtap, and other officials. On the last day for filing nominations, 17 November, 125 nomination papers were submitted in the final two hours, with preliminary scrutiny continuing until 4 a.m. the following day.

Formal scrutiny and objection recording began on 18 November, during which 56 of 237 councilor nominations were rejected. Sandhan then approached the court seeking disqualification of Koyte and the 28 nominees.

During the hearing on 22 and 23 November, election officials stated that no objections were raised during the scrutiny process and that minor technical issues should not disqualify candidates, citing democratic principles.

The court upheld this argument and dismissed the petition. Advocate Jayant Joshi represented the petitioner, while Advocates Prashant Katneshwar, Ganesh Gade, Vidyasagar Shinde, and Suyog Jagtap appeared for the respondents.