Overview
- Following the Nagpur bench directive, the State Election Commission rescheduled counting for all phases to December 21 and aligned its statewide timetable.
- The court prohibited exit polls until December 20, and EVMs are to remain in strongrooms under round-the-clock security until counting.
- The SEC reported a 67.63% turnout for the first phase, with additional polling slated for December 20 in rescheduled bodies before statewide counting.
- Polling day featured clashes between party workers, bogus-voting complaints and EVM glitches, and an FIR was filed against Shiv Sena MLA Santosh Bangar for entering a booth.
- Parties traded blame and integrity disputes persisted, including a Sangli allegation of a 2,049-vote jump, as the SEC summoned 29 civic chiefs on December 4 to address voter rolls and duplicates.