Congress leaders contend that the rejection of opposition forms was part of a broader strategy to sideline competitors, alleging that across district council and municipal contests the BJP secured upward of 90 of 122 seats without facing genuine competition. The local Congress head, Prabhu Tokiya, said that in the district-council segment only four of 21 opposition nominations were accepted, while in the municipal council 11 of 12 were discarded. These figures were followed by a pledge to approach the Bombay High Court and the election authorities in the territory.
BJP regional chief Mahesh Agari defended his party’s clean sweep, stating that the results reflected robust public support and were fully compliant with electoral rules. He said the high number of uncontested seats was a clear indicator of opposition weakness, not administrative bias. Officials at the Election Commission of India have not issued a formal reply to the rejection figures or the legal challenge.
Observers say the level of uncontested wins raises questions about the state of democratic contest in the region. According to available returns, the BJP secured 35 of 48 district-council positions without a challenger, 30 of 44 gram-panchayat seats uncontested and 26 of 30 municipal wards similarly won—figures that dwarf prior electoral cycles. For the Congress, the primary grievance centres on the nomination process: its regional in-charge, Manikrao Thakare, charged that the forms required to contest were not uploaded in time, candidates seeking documentation were told officials were “on training” and the scrutiny process was shifted abruptly to a distant office, causing many to be disqualified.
Critics highlight structural issues: in a small-scale territory the margin for non-competitive races is already high, but the combination of late paperwork, mass rejections and zero scrutiny of ruling-party entries has amplified concerns. Former administrative figures in the union territory have previously faced allegations of partisan behaviour, offering context to the current uproar. Analysts note that when over half of all seats are uncontested, voter choice and accountability suffer significantly—and local councils risk becoming extensions of one party rather than representative bodies.
The Congress has filed formal complaints alleging electoral malpractice, citing the Representation of People Act and demanding that rejected candidates be reinstated or fresh polls ordered. The legal team argues that election officials failed to follow clear procedural norms, in particular around timelines for nomination forms and scrutiny, and did so selectively. The BJP dismisses the complaints as politically motivated and claims the opposition failed to mount credible campaigns, pointing to low voter turnout in contested seats as evidence of lack of enthusiasm rather than coercion.