The State Election Commissioner, Dinesh Waghmare, announced on Tuesday that the local body elections in Maharashtra will be conducted in a phased manner, with the polling for the first phase set for December 2. Local body elections to begin in Maharashtra (AFP/ Representative) In the first phase, elections will be held for 246 municipal councils governing small cities and 42 Nagar Panchayats. The results for the first phase will be declared on December 3. Addressing a press conference in Mumbai, Waghmare did not announce the election schedule for the 29 municipal corporations, including the much-awaited election for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). He also did not reveal the schedule for polls for the 32 zilla parishads and 336 panchayat samitis, where polls are due. “Voting will be held to elect 6,859 members and 288 presidents in these local self-government bodies. The number of eligible voters in these elections is 1.7 crore, Waghmare said, adding that there will be 13,355 polling centres to conduct these polls. According to the announcement, the polling will be held using …