MUMBAI, Jan. 6 -- Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Avinash Jadhav on Monday moved the Bombay High Court over the "suspicious withdrawal" of candidates from at least 68 wards in various poll-bound municipal corporations across Maharashtra, leading to the unopposed victory of nominees from the ruling Mahayuti coalition. The withdrawal of rival candidates was "not voluntary", but a result of "systemic coercion, threats, or illegal allurements, violating the free and fair constitutional mandate", the writ petition, filed through advocate Asim Sarode, said. On Monday, Jadhav also approached the State Election Commission (SEC), demanding a thorough probe into the matter. On Sunday, the MNS and Shiv Sena (UBT) had submitted a written complaint to the police against a police officer and three Sena (UBT) candidates who withdrew from the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) polls, handing unopposed wins to Mahayuti candidates. In the petition before the HC, Jadhav said unopposed victories were reported from Kalyan-Dombivli, Thane, Jalgaon, Panvel, Dhule, Pimpri-Chinchwad and Pune municipal corporations. Of the 68 wards where candidates withdrew from the fray suspiciously, the BJP had won 44 seats, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena had won 22 seats, and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, two seats, the petition noted, referring to official data. The candidates in question were declared winners by returning officers (ROs) of respective municipal corporation wards in violation of orders issued by the State Election Commission (SEC) on January 2, 2026, which mandated that results of unopposed elections must not to be officially declared until an inquiry into "coercive withdrawals" was completed, the petition alleged. After the unopposed victories were reported, senior leaders from the BJP and Shiv Sena were seen congratulating the winning candidates, the petition said. The MNS leader alleged that the local administration was used to facilitate uncontested wins of ruling alliance candidates, and urged the court to direct the SEC to conduct a time-bound, independent probe into the "mass withdrawals" under its supervision. The SEC has already ordered a probe into withdrawals of candidates from 29 municipal corporations where polls are scheduled on January 15, the petition said. Jadhav also requested the court to issue appropriate directions to the state government to formulate legislation and amend the Maharashtra Municipal Corporations Act 1949 to include a provision on minimum vote share for candidates elected unopposed. "If this unopposed election is not stayed or set aside, the democratic right of voters to choose their representative will be permanently frustrated," the petition filed by the MNS leader said....