Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has launched a sharp critique against the State Election Commission (SEC) for its decision to postpone elections to several municipal councils and nagar panchayats just one day before they were scheduled to be held. Calling the move an "injustice towards honest candidates," Fadnavis questioned the legal basis for such a last-minute delay.
What Sparked the Controversy?
The first phase of local body elections across 246 municipal councils and 42 nagar panchayats was set for Tuesday, December 2, with results to be declared the following day. However, on Monday, the state poll panel ordered the suspension and revision of elections in at least 20 municipal councils and panchayats. The primary reason cited was procedural irregularities and pending court cases that were resolved after a mandated deadline.
"I learnt about the EC’s decision to postpone some local body elections. I don’t understand under what rules they have done this," Fadnavis told reporters. He emphasized that, to his knowledge, there is no provision to postpone elections a day before polling. The Chief Minister added that he had consulted several experts who also believed it was the wrong decision.
He highlighted the plight of candidates, stating, "All their campaigning efforts over the last 20 to 25 days have gone to waste."
Why Were the Elections Postponed?
The postponement stems from court orders delivered after the SEC's strict deadline of November 22. The commission had instructed that elections must not proceed in any council or panchayat where appeals related to membership disqualification or reservation disputes were still pending in district courts.
Key appeals concerning the president's post in the Baramati Municipal Council and the Fursungi–Uruli Devachi Municipal Council were resolved only on November 26. Orders related to member seats in these councils also came after the cutoff date. Similar delays occurred in appeals involving members’ seats in Talegaon Dabhade, Lonavala, Daund, and Saswad municipal councils.
To avoid legal complications, the SEC ordered that the entire general elections for the affected councils be rescheduled. Polling in all impacted areas will now be held on December 20. Authorities confirmed that no fresh nominations will be accepted for the postponed polls; only withdrawals will be permitted until 3 pm on December 10.
The Scale and Stakes of the Elections
The local body polls are a massive electoral exercise in Maharashtra. According to SEC data:
- The elections will decide the fate of 6,859 members and 288 presidents.
- Over 1.07 crore voters are eligible to cast ballots at 13,355 polling stations.
- More than 66,000 staff members will manage the process using Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
- Seat reservations include 3,492 for women, 895 for Scheduled Castes, 338 for Scheduled Tribes, and 1,821 for Other Backward Classes.
- The expenditure limit is set at Rs 15 lakh for presidential candidates and Rs 12 lakh for member candidates.
The polls are being fiercely contested, with top state leaders from the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena alliance and the NCP campaigning extensively. Interestingly, the BJP has already secured 100 councillor seats and three municipal president posts unopposed before the first vote was cast.
Pune District Collector Jitendra Dudi urged citizens to note the changes, clarifying that the postponements were a direct result of judicial orders crossing the official SEC deadlines. The revised election programme will be published in newspapers for wider dissemination.
