Why Are Elections in 20 Maharashtra Local Bodies Postponed? What We Know So Far

The Maharashtra State Election Commission (SEC) has ordered the suspension and rescheduling of elections in at least 20 Municipal Councils and Municipal Panchayats due to procedural issues and pending legal cases, reported The Indian Express. The list includes Baramati, the home constituency of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. Elections in these areas, originally planned for December 2, will now take place on December 20. In some locations, the entire election process stands postponed because of legal disputes over the eligibility of candidates for council chief posts, while in others, only specific ward elections have been delayed pending resolution.

According to officials, the affected seats include Baramati and Talegaon in Pune; Devlali, Kopargaon, Nevasa, and Pathardi in Ahilyanagar; Phaltan and Mahabaleshwar in Satara; Digras, Pandharkavda, and Wani in Yavatmal; Ghuggus, Gadchandur, and Mul in Chandrapur; Balapur in Akola; Anjangaon-Surji in Amravati; Dharashiv in Dharashiv district; Mangalvedha in Solapur; Badlapur in Thane, and Mukhed and Dharmabad in Nanded district. The SEC had not released the updated ward list for affected areas at the time this information was published, as reported by The Indian Express.

The SEC has stated that the ongoing election process, particularly the symbol distribution phase, became “irregular” due to delayed rulings on nomination appeals, which prevented candidates from receiving a mandatory withdrawal window. As per the commission’s order, appeals filed at Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats were required to be resolved by November 22, 2025, allowing three days for withdrawal under Rule 17(1)(b) of the Maharashtra Municipal Elections Rules, 1966. However, several violations were identified, including delayed decisions, missing written orders, and instances where appeal hearings did not occur, resulting in procedural lapses.

According to the SEC, the allotment of election symbols scheduled for November 26, 2025, and later was conducted without ensuring the legally required withdrawal period. The order emphasized that any such symbol allotment made by Returning Officers after November 26 stands invalid. The Commission has directed the suspension and restart of elections only in affected seats. In cases where council president posts are included in the elections, the entire process for those posts has been halted. Originally, the SEC had scheduled elections in 246 municipal councils and 42 municipal panchayats for December 2, but affected constituencies will now vote on December 20.

The polling process has been embroiled in challenges from the outset. In May 2025, the Supreme Court directed the SEC to finish conducting local body elections by January 31, 2026. Before the announcement of the election schedule, opposition parties objected to alleged inconsistencies in voter rolls and procedural irregularities, reported The Indian Express. Multiple petitions were filed in the Supreme Court claiming political reservations in several bodies crossed the 50 percent cap, delaying Zilla Parishad and Municipal Corporation elections. Although the Supreme Court recently allowed polls to proceed, results for bodies exceeding the reservation limit will remain subject to future court orders.

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Additionally, the SEC is unlikely to advance elections for Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis where the 50 percent reservation cap has been breached, as the Supreme Court has not issued clarity on those cases yet. The ongoing uncertainty has contributed to administrative delays and political tensions surrounding the civic polls. With the revised schedule now issued for the affected bodies, further clarity is expected once pending legal matters are settled. Opposition leaders have continued demanding transparency and accountability in the voting process to prevent further delays and ensure fair electoral conduct, as highlighted by The Indian Express.