India, Dec. 4 -- A spiralling controversy over irregularities in the voters' list has forced the Panvel administration to reverify thousands of entries, pushing back the publication of polling station-wise voter rolls from December 12 to December 22.

The controversy erupted shortly after publication of the draft ward-wise voters list on November 20, when former corporator Aravind Mhatre alleged that 268 voters in Tondre village were listed as "sons" of one individual. Calling it a historic blunder, Mhatre said, "If one man can have 268 sons on paper, how many more fake voters are hidden in the rolls?"

The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) subsequently amplified the allegation via social media platforms, saying it was "proof that the roll...