The by-polls for the previously canceled OBC reserved seats in the five Zilla Parishads and their respective Panchayat Samitis will be held from the open category on July 19, Maharashtra State Election Commissioner UPS Madan told the state government today. The state government had sent a letter to the Election Commission on Wednesday evening requesting it to postpone the by-election, citing Corona's reasons for the cancellation of the OBC reservation. The letter was handed over to Madan by Chief Secretary Sitaram Kunte.
The commission today sent a clear reply to the letter stating that the by-election could not be postponed Therefore, the efforts of the state government to prevent this election have suffered a major blow. The commission, in a letter to the government, clarified that the by-election was inevitable in the wake of the Supreme Court's decision, which could not be avoided. We are holding by-elections only in the districts which are in level one.
The commission has also clarified that elections will not be held in Palghar district, which is in level three. Maharashtra State Election Commissioner UPS Madan had issued a statement stating that Dhule, Nandurbar, Akola, Washim and Nagpur Zilla Parishads will vote on July 19. The counting of votes will be taken up on July 20.
By-elections to the seats rendered vacant in the 33 Panchayat Samitis falling under the jurisdiction of these five Zilla Parishads will also be held on the same day (July 19), it said. Now it would be interesting to see whether the state government goes to the Supreme Court against the role of the commission.
Elections should be postponed due to the prevalence of corona in the state and fear of a third wave. This is because the state government had taken a stand that the corona could spread through crowding during the campaign. There was talk that the government had put forward Corona's reason to avoid offending the OBCs.
The state's OBC minister had asked Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray not to hold any by-elections until the reservation of OBCs is restored. It was then decided to submit a letter to the commission to postpone the elections.