EC announces MLC polls for 5 Maharashtra seats on Oct 23; Mahayuti eyes clean sweep
Synopsis
The Election Commission has set 23 October as polling day for five Maharashtra MLC seats spanning Graduate and Teachers' constituencies. With three seats currently held by opposition parties, the Mahayuti alliance — BJP, Shinde's Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar's NCP — sees a rare opening to consolidate educated voter bases, while the MVA scrambles to mount a joint defence before nominations open on 29 September.
Key Takeaways
The ECI announced polling for 5 Maharashtra MLC seats on 23 October 2026 ; counting on 27 October 2026 .
The contest covers 3 Graduate constituencies (Aurangabad, Pune, Nagpur) and 2 Teachers' constituencies (Amravati, Pune).
Nominations open on 29 September 2026 ; last date for filing is 6 October 2026 .
Incumbent seats are held by NCP (Aurangabad Graduate), NCP SP (Pune Graduate), Congress (Nagpur Graduate and Pune Teachers'), and a Shiv Sena associate (Amravati Teachers').
Mahayuti (BJP, Shiv Sena, NCP) is finalising a unified seat-sharing formula; MVA (Shiv Sena UBT, NCP SP, Congress) is expected to contest jointly.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday, 22 September 2026, announced polling dates for five Maharashtra Legislative Council (MLC) seats — three Graduate constituencies and two Teachers' constituencies — where sitting members' terms expire on 6 December 2026. Voting is scheduled for 23 October 2026, with counting on 27 October 2026.
Official Election Schedule
According to the official schedule released by the ECI, the election notification will be issued on 29 September 2026. The last date for filing nominations is 6 October 2026, with scrutiny of nominations concluding on 7 October 2026. Polling will be conducted on 23 October 2026 from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, and the counting of votes will take place on 27 October 2026.
Seats at Stake and Incumbent Members
The three Graduate constituencies going to polls are Aurangabad Division, currently represented by Bhanudasrao Satish Chavan of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP); Pune Division, held by Arun Ganpati Lad of NCP (SP); and Nagpur Division, represented by Abhijit Govindrao Wanjari of the Indian National Congress (Congress).
The two Teachers' constituencies include Amravati Division, represented by Kiran Ramrao Sarnaik — an Independent who has officially joined Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena as an associate member — and Pune Division, held by Jayant Dinkar Asgaonkar of the Congress.
Mahayuti Alliance Eyes a Clean Sweep
The election declaration has triggered intense seat-allocation discussions within the Mahayuti alliance, which comprises the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar's NCP. All three constituents are eager to assert their influence among these educated and politically active voter bases.
The BJP views Graduate constituencies — particularly Pune and Nagpur — as its traditional strongholds and is reportedly keen to reclaim seats lost in previous election cycles. Ajit Pawar's NCP holds strong grassroots claims in Pune Division, while Shinde's Shiv Sena has been actively consolidating outreach among educators, professors, and youth networks across Western Maharashtra and Amravati. Key organisational leaders from Shinde's party have conducted regional tours and secured endorsements from teachers' associations.
Mahayuti leadership has emphasised that a unified seat-sharing formula will be finalised ahead of nominations. 'Our focus remains on presenting a united front. Each constituent party brings a distinct organisational advantage among teachers, professionals, and graduates. A joint strategy will ensure a decisive victory across all five seats,' a Mahayuti alliance source said.
Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi Plans Joint Contest
On the other side, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) — comprising Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (SP), and Congress — is expected to meet shortly to firm up a joint poll strategy. Sources indicate the three parties are likely to contest all five seats under the MVA banner, hoping to consolidate opposition votes and prevent fragmentation.
This is a significant contest: Graduate and Teachers' constituency voters are among Maharashtra's most politically engaged, and control of these five seats will carry both legislative and symbolic weight ahead of broader electoral cycles. With nomination filings opening on 29 September, seat-allocation talks within both alliances are set to accelerate in the coming days.
Point of View
But they carry outsized political signal value: Graduate and Teachers' constituency voters are disproportionately vocal, and a Mahayuti sweep here would project alliance cohesion at a moment when internal seat-sharing tensions are ever-present. The more telling contest, however, is whether the MVA can retain the Congress-held Nagpur and Pune Teachers' seats — losses there would further erode the opposition's narrative of momentum. Historically, these constituencies have rewarded candidate quality over party machinery, which means both alliances face pressure to field credible names rather than political loyalists.
NationPress
22 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When will Maharashtra MLC elections 2026 be held?
Polling for the five Maharashtra Legislative Council seats is scheduled for 23 October 2026, from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Counting of votes will take place on 27 October 2026.
Which five constituencies are going to polls?
The five constituencies are three Graduate seats — Aurangabad Division, Pune Division, and Nagpur Division — and two Teachers' seats — Amravati Division and Pune Division. Their sitting members' terms expire on 6 December 2026.
What is the nomination schedule for the Maharashtra MLC elections?
The election notification will be issued on 29 September 2026. The last date for filing nominations is 6 October 2026, and scrutiny of nominations will conclude on 7 October 2026.
Who are the sitting MLCs in these five constituencies?
The incumbents are Bhanudasrao Satish Chavan (NCP) in Aurangabad Graduate, Arun Ganpati Lad (NCP SP) in Pune Graduate, Abhijit Govindrao Wanjari (Congress) in Nagpur Graduate, Kiran Ramrao Sarnaik (Shiv Sena associate) in Amravati Teachers', and Jayant Dinkar Asgaonkar (Congress) in Pune Teachers'.
How are the Mahayuti and MVA alliances approaching these polls?
The Mahayuti alliance — BJP, Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar's NCP — is finalising a joint seat-sharing formula to avoid vote fragmentation and leverage combined cadre strength. The Maha Vikas Aghadi — Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (SP), and Congress — is expected to contest all five seats jointly, with a strategy meeting planned before nominations open.
