Mumbai: A day after the Election Commission announced the Comprehensive Audit of Voter Lists (SIR) in Maharashtra, Samajwadi Party MLA from Bhiwandi East Raees Sheikh has urged Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) leaders to form a state-level task force to monitor the process and take steps to ensure that the incident of voter exclusion in West Bengal does not repeat itself. The SIR process led to the defeat of the Trinamool Congress in Bengal.

In a letter to Maharashtra Congress president Harshvardhan Sapkal, Shiv Sena leader and MP Sanjay Raut and Nationalist Congress Party (SP) state president Shashi Kant Shinde, MLA Raees Sheikh said that the Maha Vikas Aghadi should constitute a task force to guide voters, train Booth Level Agents (BLAs) and coordinate with the Election Commission. The SIR process in Bihar and West Bengal has resulted in the exclusion of a large number of voters, especially voters from tribal, Dalit, minority and weaker sections. 68 lakh voters in Bihar and 91 lakh voters in West Bengal have been excluded in this process. Maharashtra may face a similar situation if opposition parties do not take timely action. “In the recent West Bengal assembly elections, BJP won 95 seats while Trinamool Congress won 51 seats in constituencies where 25,000 voters were excluded during the SIR process, leading to TMC’s defeat,” MLA Raees Sheikh claimed. He added that under the SIR initiative, Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will visit voters’ homes between June 30 and July 29. “Voters will need help in completing the necessary documents, understanding the new voter registration process and the objection registration process. Booth Level Officers (BLAs) of all the allied parties and coordinating with the state Chief Electoral Officer and the Central Election Commission. Maha Vikas Aghadi must take immediate steps in this regard. Otherwise we will not be able to stop the ruling party’s vote rigging. The proposed state-level task force should include representatives of all allies in the alliance.”

Mumbai: The sessions court at Dindoshi has refused to grant anticipatory bail to a 77-year-old Bengaluru resident accused of sexually assaulting his three-year-old granddaughter, observing that he may flee or tamper with prosecution evidence.

The man was booked on the complaint of his daughter-in-law at Powai police station in April 2026. She claimed that she had separated from her husband.

The woman alleged that her husband had taken the child victim on two occasions for her stay with him, during which she noticed injuries on her lips and black patches on her legs.

The woman further claimed that in March, when her daughter returned after being with her husband, she noticed that the girl was touching her private parts frequently. When she confronted the child, she allegedly revealed that her grandfather had sexually assaulted her.

The lawyer for the grandfather, Marmik Shah, claimed that the man had been falsely implicated in the case. It was alleged that due to several issues, the informant and the applicant’s son were living separately. Divorce proceedings between them are ongoing.

“There is gross delay in lodging the FIR and conducting the medical examination of the victim. The application is filed with mala fide intention. Videos and pictures of the child victim of alleged rape would show that the child victim is happy and having a good time with them,” Shah contended.

The plea was opposed by the prosecution as well as by the lawyers representing the complainant — Shubham More, Sagar Shetty, and Ashish Venugopal.

They contended that there is an audio recording of the conversation between the victim and the mother, which is material evidence against the accused.

They further argued that the welfare and protection of the child victim is essential and that she has undergone profound trauma. “If he is released on bail, he may abuse the process of law,” they submitted.

The court considered the medical report, which stated that sexual assault on the victim cannot be ruled out, though no injury marks were observed.

The court observed: “No doubt, the applicant is aged about approximately 80 years and is the grandfather of the child victim, but keeping in mind the object of protecting the child victim and considering her interest and welfare, and also keeping in mind her age, the contents of the FIR and medical report at this juncture cannot be ignored by believing the alleged defence of the applicant.”

After rejection of the plea, the grandfather has now approached the High Court for anticipatory bail. Besides, the police had also arrested the father of the victim for alleged sexual assault on April 30. He was later released on bail after the court held his arrest illegal as the grounds of arrest were not provided to him.

Mumbai: Water supply will be disrupted in some areas of M East and M West wards on Monday, May 18, from 10 am to 10 pm due to commissioning work of the Amar Mahal (Hedgewar Udyan) to Turbhe low-level reservoir water tunnel underway. The affected wards include areas such as Chembur East and West, Govandi, and Mankhurd.

The BMC has urged citizens of the two wards to filter and boil water for consumption for seven days — from May 18, 2026, to May 25, 2026 — as a precautionary measure.