On Monday, the Supreme Court extended the deadline for completing local body elections in Maharashtra by two weeks. This decision was made by a bench including Chief Justice Suryakant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi, following a request from the State Election Commission (SEC). The commission argued that additional time is necessary to complete pending elections for certain district councils and panchayats.
Senior Advocate Balbir Singh, appearing for the State Election Commission, informed the court that the commission is seeking a 10-day extension beyond the original deadline of January 31. He explained that it is not practically possible to conclude all elections within the originally stipulated time. Consequently, the court granted the SEC's application and allowed an additional two weeks to complete the electoral process.
Related Article: Maharashthra Politics Heat Up as BJP Leader's Son Becomes Councillor with AIMIM Support
During this session, the court also addressed another petition related to exceeding the 50% reservation limit in local body elections. Reacting to arguments by Senior Advocate V. Giri, the bench remarked, "If the threshold of 50% has been breached, as in this case where it is 52%, elections will proceed but will be subject to the final decisions on these petitions."
The Supreme Court refused to entertain any new intervention petitions in this case, making it clear that such petitions are only intended to delay the election process. It clarified that all petitions will be heard only after the local body elections are concluded.
Related Article: Controversy Over Cash Transfers to Women Before Maharashtra Civic Polls! Congress Approaches EC Calling It 'Mass Bribery'
It is noteworthy that on September 16, the Supreme Court had sternly admonished the Maharashtra State Election Commission for failing to comply with its orders. The court had earlier directed that the local body elections, pending since 2022, must be completed by January 31, 2026, and that no further extensions would be granted thereafter.
