Mumbai, Dec 1 (NationPress) The Maharashtra State Election Commission (SEC) has officially declared a modified election schedule for 24 Nagar Parishads, which includes elections for their presidents and 154 wards within an additional 76 Nagar Panchayats. These elections are now slated for December 20, with the counting of votes to occur on December 21.

This decision to adjust the election timeline was made in response to appeals submitted to the District Court concerning the Returning Officer's verdicts regarding the Nagar Parishads and Nagar Panchayats elections.

Despite this change, the SEC clarified that the voting for the remaining Nagar Parishads and Nagar Panchayats will proceed as scheduled on December 2, following the previous announcement.

On November 4, the SEC had laid out the election schedule for 246 Municipal Councils and 42 Nagar Panchayats across the state. As the appeals were addressed after November 23, the election process will adapt to the new timeline in those affected areas.

The SEC noted that the election procedure will follow the revised timeline in regions where late decisions regarding the presidential posts were made due to appeals.

While there is a legal provision for simultaneous elections for member posts alongside the presidential election, the revised program will only apply to locations with pending member post appeals.

This announcement indicates that the voting for approximately 10% of Nagar Parishads and Nagar Panchayats has been postponed.

According to the updated schedule, candidates can withdraw their nomination papers until 3 PM on December 10, with the final candidate list and election symbols to be finalized on December 11. Voting is set for December 20, with results to be counted on December 21.

Political parties, including the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposition Congress, have expressed their discontent over the SEC's decision to delay elections just 48 hours prior to the voting date.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis voiced his disagreement with the SEC's ruling, accusing them of misinterpreting existing regulations.

“I am unsure which regulation the state election commission is adhering to and who is providing them with counsel. Based on my understanding of electoral laws and discussions with legal experts, it is clear that elections cannot be postponed in such a manner,” he stated during a press briefing in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.

Furthermore, Maharashtra BJP chief Ravindra Chavan has formally requested the SEC to retract its decision, labeling it as inappropriate. The opposition Congress party has similarly criticized the SEC for implementing last-minute changes, asserting that it has failed to uphold transparent and fair election processes.

“It appears incapable of conducting elections,” remarked Maharashtra Congress chief Harshvardhan Sapkal.

The SEC has finalized arrangements for the initial phase of the Nagar Parishads and Nagar Panchayats elections, scheduled for December 2, with vote counting to take place on December 3.

Security personnel have been deployed to guarantee a smooth voting process, with rural police in some areas conducting 24/7 drone surveillance and additional forces stationed at sensitive polling locations. A public holiday has been declared for December 2.

Voters are prohibited from bringing mobile phones into polling centers. A designated area for depositing mobile devices will be made available, where feasible, within the polling center premises, outside the actual voting area.

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

Additionally, the local body elections have been fraught with controversy since their inception. In May, the Supreme Court directed the SEC to complete the local body election process by January 31, 2026. The state has not conducted 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 regarding OBC reservations.

On November 4, the SEC unveiled the electoral process for municipal councils and panchayats. Prior to this, opposition parties raised concerns about a flawed voter registry and widespread irregularities. Several petitioners approached the Supreme Court, alleging violations of the 50% reservation rule in various local bodies, which delayed the announcement of Zilla Parishad and Municipal Corporation elections.

Last week, although the apex court approved the elections, the outcomes for local bodies exceeding the 50% political reservation limit (including Nagar Parishads and Nagar Panchayats) will depend on future court decisions regarding this matter.

Furthermore, the SEC is unlikely to proceed with elections in Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samitis where this limit has been surpassed, as the court has not issued any directives concerning these elections.