Mumbai, Dec 1 (NationPress) The Maharashtra State Election Commission (SEC) declared a new electoral timeline for 24 nagar parishads, including elections for their presidents and 154 wards in an additional 76 nagar parishads and nagar panchayats. The elections are scheduled for December 20, with results to be counted on December 21.

The SEC made this decision following appeals lodged in the District Court regarding the Returning Officer's election decisions for these nagar parishads and nagar panchayats.

In its announcement, the SEC reassured that elections for the remaining nagar parishads and nagar panchayats will proceed as planned on December 2, according to the previously established schedule.

“The SEC had laid out the election timetable for 246 Municipal Councils and 42 Nagar Panchayats in the state on November 4. With appeals being addressed on or after November 23, the electoral process will adhere to the amended timeline in the affected locations,” it stated.

According to the SEC, the electoral processes will follow the amended schedule across all areas of the nagar parishads and nagar panchayats where appeal decisions concerning presidential posts were delayed.

“The law allows for simultaneous elections for council members alongside the president. However, in areas with appeals concerning member posts, the updated election schedule will only apply there,” it added.

The announcement implies that elections in 10% of nagar parishads and nagar panchayats have been postponed.

Furthermore, the SEC indicated that candidates can withdraw their nominations until 3 PM on December 10. The final candidate list and election symbol allocations will be finalized on December 11, with polling on December 20 and counting on December 21.

Political factions, including the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposition Congress, have criticized the SEC for delaying elections just 48 hours before the voting was set to occur.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed his dissatisfaction with the SEC's actions, claiming they misinterpreted the relevant laws.

“I am perplexed about which act the state election commission is adhering to and who is guiding them. Based on my knowledge and conversations with legal experts, I have been informed that elections cannot simply be postponed,” he stated at a press event in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.

Fadnavis firmly disagreed with the SEC's decision.

In a letter to the SEC, Maharashtra BJP chief Ravindra Chavan demanded a reversal of the decision, labeling it inappropriate. The Congress party also condemned the SEC for the abrupt changes, stating it failed to conduct elections transparently and fairly.

“It appears the SEC is incapable of managing the election process,” remarked Maharashtra Congress chief Harshvardhan Sapkal.

The SEC is set to carry out preparations for the initial phase of Nagar Parishads and Nagar Panchayats elections on December 2, with counting scheduled for December 3.

Security personnel have been deployed to ensure polling proceeds smoothly. In certain districts, rural police have begun 24/7 drone surveillance, with additional forces dispatched to sensitive polling locations. A public holiday has been declared on December 2.

Voters will not be permitted to bring mobile phones into polling centers. However, provisions will be made for depositing mobile phones at designated areas within the polling location.

A total of 288 Election Returning Officers and 288 Assistant Election Returning Officers have been appointed for these elections, alongside 66,775 election officers and staff.

Simultaneously, the local body elections have been controversial since their inception. In May, the Supreme Court instructed the SEC to finalize local body elections before January 31, 2026. The state has not held local body elections for nagar parishads, nagar panchayats, zilla parishads, panchayat samitis, and municipal corporations for the past five to three years due to disputes over OBC reservations.

On November 4, the SEC revealed the election process for municipal councils and panchayats. Prior to this, opposition parties raised concerns about the accuracy of the voters' list and various irregularities. Several petitioners approached the Supreme Court, alleging that the political reservation for local bodies exceeded 50%, delaying the announcement of Zilla Parishad and Municipal Corporation polls.

Last week, while the apex court approved the elections, the outcomes for local bodies with over 50% political reservation (nagar parishads and nagar panchayats) will depend on the court's future decision in this matter.

Moreover, the SEC is unlikely to proceed with elections in Zilla Parishad and panchayat samitis where the aforementioned limit is surpassed, as the court has not issued any instructions regarding this.