Maharashtra elections: Veteran actor Anupam Kher aimed to convince people of the “cool” aspect of exercising their right to vote in Wednesday’s Maharashtra Assembly single-phase elections.

Following his vote at this polling station, Kher said, “Everything is so nicely organized… Everyone is treated extremely well by the authorities. Elections are the biggest celebration of an independent nation. Before casting his ballot, the average person considers his everyday requirements.

“Anyone who did not cast a ballot today may file a complaint during the next five years. It’s nice to vote. “Remain calm,” he continued.

It is anticipated that the voting, which started at 7 am in 288 seats, would end by 6 pm.

Subhash Ghai, Nikita Dutta, Reena Dutta (Aamir Khan’s ex-wife), Shubha Khote, Akshay Kumar, and Sharvari Wagh were among the other movie stars that cast ballots today.

There are over 4,136 candidates running for seats in the 288-member Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, including over 2,086 independents.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), one of the main political parties, is running for 149 seats, while its allies, the Shiv Sena and the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction), are on the ballot for 81 and 59 seats, respectively. Following the 2019 elections, the Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition, which also includes the Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), hopes to make a significant return.

To guarantee a peaceful election, extensive security measures have been implemented. More than 25,000 municipal police officers, including house guards, riot control teams, and other units, have been sent to sensitive areas like Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar and Dharavi, where vehicle inspections have been stepped up to maintain peace and order.

A number of Bollywood stars, including Sonu Sood, Rajkummar Rao, Ritesh Deshmukh, Genelia, and Ali Fazal, were seen making their way to voting places early in the morning to express their support for democracy and to encourage Maharashtra residents to cast their ballots.

With an unparalleled number of contenders, the elections are a highly anticipated political contest. The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), an alliance of the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (Sharad Pawar group), is battling the BJP-led Mahayuti coalition, which consists of the Shiv Sena (headed by Eknath Shinde) and the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction).