Mumbai, Dec 2 (NationPress) The ruling and opposition factions in Maharashtra expressed their discontent on Tuesday regarding the State Election Commission's (SEC) choice to delay elections in certain nagar parishads and nagar panchayats. This decision coincided with the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court's directive for a unified counting day for all electoral bodies set for December 21.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis acknowledged the court's ruling while respecting the independence of the judiciary and the Election Commission, but he voiced significant criticism of the overall electoral process.

"I have not yet reviewed the court's verdict, yet the decision from the bench must be adhered to by all," he stated.

Fadnavis remarked, "Having observed local body elections for the past 25 to 30 years, this is the first instance where declared elections have been postponed and their outcomes delayed. This process seems inappropriate."

He labeled the situation a "failure of the system", highlighting the disappointment it brings to candidates who have campaigned diligently.

He called upon the SEC to enhance its procedures.

Fadnavis also expressed that the SEC had "misinterpreted the law", asserting, "It does not seem justifiable to postpone all counting for merely 24 locations."

He emphasized that his discontent was directed at the legal procedure rather than the Election Commission itself.

Leader of the Congress Legislature Party, Vijay Wadettiwar, criticized the disruption of elections, claiming they have devolved into a mere farce.

"Both the state government and the Election Commission are culpable for this situation, as the Supreme Court's ruling has been misinterpreted. The government aimed to present itself as having granted 27 percent reservation to OBCs. What direction is this administration taking? The vote counting scheduled for tomorrow has been postponed to December 21. The Fadnavis government is responsible for this; creating barriers in the counting process equates to delaying elections, essentially amounting to vote theft. Is it manipulating the results out of fear that they will not be favorable? This is a strangulation of democracy," Wadettiwar accused.

Shiv Sena-UBT Chief Uddhav Thackeray sarcastically noted, "It's better to remain silent regarding the Election Commission and the court."

Meanwhile, Raj Thackeray, Chief of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, commented on the ongoing arbitrariness in the nation.

Maharashtra Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule harshly criticized the SEC's decision, labeling the confusion as a "huge mess" and the ruling as "incomprehensible".

"The State Election Commission has caused a significant mess. They ignored our communications adhering to the rules," Bawankule stated.

He noted that the SEC misapplied regulations and that the postponement of all counting is effectively "holding citizens hostage".

NCP-SP legislator Rohit Pawar directed his critique towards the ruling MahaYuti government and the electoral body.

"The High Court's decision to postpone the election results serves as an endorsement of the Election Commission's poor performance," he remarked in a post on X.

"Although the Chief Minister has shown dissatisfaction with this ruling, he must remember that this occurs when the Election Commission is tied to the party's agenda. Both the BJP and the Election Commission share equal responsibility for the turmoil currently afflicting the state," he concluded.