Tue Sep 23 23:50:00 UTC 2025: **Summary:**

The Raigad District Collector in Maharashtra, India, held a closed-door hearing on objections to the Panvel Municipal Corporation’s draft ward delimitation and reservation notification on September 18, 2025. This action sparked protests and a formal complaint to the Election Commission (EC) by Advocate Siddharth S. Ingle of Lok Hitkarini Sabha. Ingle argues the closed-door session violated democratic principles, transparency, and natural justice as mandated by the Maharashtra Municipal Corporations Act and the Constitution of India. The complaint urges the EC to order a transparent rehearing open to all objectors, representatives, and media, ensuring due consideration of all objections for a free and fair election.

**News Article:**

**Raigad Collector Faces Outcry Over Closed-Door Delimitation Hearing**

**Mumbai, September 24, 2025** – A storm of controversy has erupted in Raigad district after the District Collector conducted a public hearing on objections to the Panvel Municipal Corporation’s draft ward delimitation in a closed-door session on September 18th. The move has been met with strong condemnation, with Advocate Siddharth S. Ingle, Founder President of Lok Hitkarini Sabha, lodging a formal complaint with the Election Commission (EC) and accusing the administration of violating fundamental democratic principles.

Ingle alleges the closed-door proceedings, which excluded objectors, citizens, and organizational representatives who had submitted objections, were “arbitrary, illegal, and a violation of democratic principles.” In his letter to the EC, Ingle emphasized that this procedure contradicts transparency, accountability, and natural justice, which are cornerstones of free and fair elections under Article 243ZA of the Constitution.

Quoting the Maharashtra Municipal Corporations Act and related rules, Ingle argued the law mandates that public objections and suggestions must be duly considered in an open forum. He contends that by holding a closed-door hearing, the Collector has denied citizens their right to participation and undermined constitutional rights.

“In a democracy, the election process should be transparent, clean, and credible,” Ingle stated, expressing concerns that such actions erode public trust in the electoral process.

Citing Supreme Court judgments highlighting the importance of transparency in elections, the complaint urges the EC of Maharashtra to order a reconvening of the hearing in a transparent and open manner. The complaint also demands that the Election Commission ensure all objections are duly considered and issue directives to the Raigad Collector to prevent any future recurrence of such closed-door proceedings. The Election Commission is yet to respond to the complaint.

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