Maharashtra News: Municipal Elections Postponed In Some Areas, Voting Now On December 20 After Appeal-Related Disruption

Mumbai: In a major development, the State Election Commission has postponed ongoing municipal elections across several parts of Maharashtra, pushing the polling date from December 2 to December 20. The decision has come as a shock to candidates, political parties, and administrative authorities, as campaigning had reached its peak and preparations were nearly complete.

The State election Commission’s order affects municipal councils and nagar panchayats in nearly twenty districts, including Thane (specifically Ambarnath), Baramati, Amravati, Ahilyanagar, Nanded, Solapur, Yavatmal, Dharashiv, Chandrapur, Akola and Pune.

The core reason behind the postponement is the delay in resolving appeals filed by candidates whose nomination forms were rejected. Many of these appeals were either decided late or remained pending, creating procedural conflicts within the official election timeline.

According to the Maharashtra Municipal Election Rules of 1966, decisions on such appeals must be completed by November 22 so that rejected or reinstated candidates can withdraw their nominations within the required three-day period. Following that, symbols must be allotted only after the withdrawal deadline has passed. However, in several affected municipal bodies this legal sequence was not followed. In some places, symbols were distributed even before appeal results were finalized; in other cases, written court orders were not received on time, yet the election process continued. There were also instances where appeals were still pending, but officials proceeded with subsequent steps such as confirming candidate lists and symbol allocation.

Observing these lapses, the State Election Commission concluded that the election procedure in these constituencies had violated mandatory legal provisions, and therefore could not continue in its current form. The Commission stated in its order dated November 29 that the process must be paused immediately wherever appeal-related irregularities occurred. Only the affected wards and, where applicable, the entire municipal body including the president’s post, will undergo a revised election schedule. The Commission also criticized election officers for failing to comply with required procedures despite clear rules.

The announcement has had a ripple effect across the political landscape. Campaigns were in full swing, banners and rallies were visible across major towns, and public outreach efforts intensified as the earlier polling date approached. Candidates had already invested time, financial resources, and manpower into door-to-door communication and public meetings. The sudden extension has forced them to reassess campaign strategies, expenses, and voter engagement plans. Several political observers believe the extended time may change the electoral mood, allowing parties to reshape narratives and alliances.

Under the revised program issued by the Commission, fresh deadlines will now guide the remaining phases of the election process. Candidates will get time until December 10 to withdraw their names, and the final list of contesting candidates along with symbol distribution will be completed the following day. Voting will now be held on December 20 from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm, followed by counting on December 21. The final results are expected to be published in the government gazette before December 23.

This sudden extension marks one of the rare instances in recent years where municipal elections have been postponed after the campaign phase had progressed so far. While the Election Commission has assured that the revised process will now strictly follow legal norms, the delay has introduced uncertainty and unpredictable political dynamics across the affected regions.

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