Mumbai, Jan 13 (NationPress) As excitement builds for the Municipal Corporation elections across the state, the Maharashtra State Election Commission (SEC) is set to hold a press conference at 4 pm on Tuesday to reveal the election timetable for 12 zilla parishads and 125 panchayat samitis.

With the state Board examinations for grade 12 commencing on February 10, voting for these local governance bodies is anticipated to occur on February 5.

This announcement follows the Supreme Court's acceptance of the SEC's request for an extension to conduct these elections beyond the January 31 deadline imposed by the court.

The SEC had initially sought to extend the deadline to February 10, but the Supreme Court granted an extension until February 15, directing the SEC to finalize polls for the 12 zilla parishads and 125 panchayat samitis before that.

As the state actively engages in municipal election campaigning—with just voting and counting left—the SEC has completed preparations for the Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis elections.

The first phase of elections is set for 12 Zilla Parishads and 125 panchayat samitis where the 50 percent reservation limit has not been exceeded. Presently, elections for 32 Zilla Parishads and 336 Panchayat Samitis remain pending throughout Maharashtra.

Among these, 20 Zilla Parishads and 211 Panchayat Samitis surpass the 50 percent reservation cap, and their elections will depend on the Supreme Court's decisions.

Consequently, the SEC has prioritized the 12 districts and 125 panchayat samitis that comply with the established legal reservation limits.

The districts slated for elections, categorized by revenue divisions, include Pune Division: Pune, Satara, Sangli, Solapur, and Kolhapur; Konkan Division: Raigad, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg; Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar Division: Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Parbhani, Dharashiv, and Latur.

The primary cause of the delay stems from a legal dispute concerning quotas for Other Backward Classes (OBC). In 2021, the Supreme Court invalidated the 27 percent OBC reservation in local bodies, as it exceeded the 50 percent ceiling established by the Indra Sawhney judgment.

The court mandated a triple test (establishing a commission, gathering empirical data, and ensuring that total reservations do not surpass 50 percent) before the quota can be reinstated.

This has resulted in a prolonged process of data gathering and legal disputes.

These elections are often referred to as Mini Assemblies because they capture the sentiments of rural and semi-urban voters.

For major political alliances in Maharashtra, the outcomes of these elections are critical for building momentum leading into state-level contests.