On October 28, a writ petition was filed in the Bombay High Court (HC) against chief minister Devendra Fadnavis for trying to influence voters of 27 villages ahead of the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) elections.

On Wednesday, two residents Kiran Patil and Sagar Mhatre from Thane district, filed the petition against the CM alleging him of influencing the voters.

"On October 20, in his speech held at the Premier colony ground in Kalyan, the CM told the voters that if they elect the BJP and candidates of Sangharsh Samiti of the 27 villages, then he will help them form a municipal council," said advocate Rushil Mehta, who has filed the petition on behalf of the petitioners, adding that he even threatened them that if they do not oblige, then the villagers will have to face dire consequences.

"This is clear violation of the code of conduct laid down by the Election Commission. Hence, we have filed the petition," he said. Bribing or threatening the voters, announcement of public welfare schemes and measures, distribution of money, among others, is considered a violation of the code of conduct.

The petitioners have also made KDMC commissioner E Ravindran and the state Election Commission a party to the petition. "This is because they failed to take action against the CM even after we filed a complaint against this violation," said the petitioners.

As the court remains closed on weekend and with the beginning of the Diwali vacation from November 2, the matter will come up for hearing on November 16.