Mumbai, Dec 1 (NationPress) On Monday, the Congress party expressed strong disapproval of the Maharashtra State Election Commission (SEC) for delaying elections in 20 Nagar Parishads and several wards, deeming the move both surprising and illogical.

"If it is claimed that the court’s ruling necessitated this delay, then why did the SEC take eight days, until November 30, to act after the verdict was issued on November 22?" questioned state Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal.

Sapkal asserted that the SEC has failed to adhere to its own regulations, indicating a state of disarray in its operations.

This postponement comes just before the scheduled voting for 246 Nagar Parishads and 42 Nagar Panchayats on December 2, with tallying of votes set for December 3.

He noted that it has been nearly a decade since local body elections were last held, which are crucial for party activists, yet confusion has arisen in the process.

"Initially, the nomination procedures were overly complicated; then significant mistakes occurred in the electoral rolls. There were instances of duplicate and triplicate entries. Following the announcement of elections, court directives regarding reservations have cast uncertainty over many Nagar Panchayats. Now, with the elections for 20 Nagar Parishads and some wards postponed, a new timeline is necessary. Given that results on December 3 could influence these elections, those results should also be disclosed only after voting on December 20 is completed," he demanded.

"If the Commission is unable to adhere to its own guidelines, what sort of commission is this? It is the Election Commission's responsibility to ensure elections are conducted in a free and transparent manner, but the Commission's performance over the last few years suggests it lacks the capability to manage elections effectively," Sapkal commented.

In reference to the National Herald issue and the criminal cases initiated by the Delhi Police's Crime Branch against senior Congress figures including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, Sapkal labeled it as politically motivated.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah are abusing their authority to silence the Opposition. The accusations in the National Herald case are groundless and fabricated. Despite numerous investigations, no substantial evidence has surfaced; nonetheless, the Union government is employing state agencies to exert political pressure and tarnish the Gandhi family's reputation," he stated.

"The Gandhi family has significantly contributed to the nation and holds a legacy of sacrifice. As Rahul Gandhi strives to protect democracy and the Constitution from authoritarianism, such retaliatory measures are being enacted. The Congress will not yield to these tactics. We denounce the vindictive politics of Modi and Shah," he emphasized.

Sapkal questioned why the Centre, which has initiated cases in the National Herald matter, has not pursued criminal charges against Union Minister Murlidhar Mohol and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s son Parth Pawar in relation to the multi-crore Pune land scam.