The Vasai-Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVMC) has announced a reward for citizens who exercise their right to vote in civic polls on January 15, offering a 25 per cent discount on hair-cutting services at salons. The VVMC has partnered with the Vasai Hairdressers Association to offer a special incentive. Any citizen who shows their inked finger at participating salons within the municipal limits will be eligible for a 25% discount on hair-cutting services, according to a release issued by the civic body. The initiative aims to transform the polling day into a true “festival of democracy” by rewarding responsible citizens. The VVMC stated that the scheme is designed to encourage every eligible voter to participate in the democratic process fearlessly and enthusiastically. In response, the local hotels association announced that it would provide a 15% discount on hotel bills to those who cast their vote, a civic release said.
The city's autorickshaw association declared that voters would be given a 50% discount on transportation fares on the polling day.The municipal transport department also announced special concessions on bus fares for voters, as per the release. In the meantime, the voting in 29 municipal corporations across Maharashtra underway on Thursday with spotlight on Mumbai, where the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance is locked in an intense battle with the reunited Thackeray cousins for control of India's largest and richest civic body.Polling for 2,869 seats spread across 893 wards in these municipal corporations began amid tight security at 7.30 am and will conclude at 5.30 pm. A total of 3.48 crore voters are eligible to decide the fate of 15,931 candidates.In the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), whose annual budget is over Rs 74, 400 crore, 1,700 candidates are vying for 227 seats in elections being held after nine years, after a four-year delay.
In the last elections in 2015, the Vasai Virar City Municipal Corporation had a total of 115 seats. In the civic elections held on June 14, 2015, the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi dominated the results with an overwhelming victory, winning 106 seats and securing full control of the municipal body. The Shiv Sena emerged a distant second with 5 seats, while the Bharatiya Janata Party managed to win only 1 seat. Independents and other smaller parties together accounted for the remaining 3 seats.