Mumbai, Jan 19: The Bombay High Court on Monday kept in abeyance three conflicting orders issued by the Thane district Collector concerning recognition of political alliances in the Ambernath Municipal Council (AMC), and directed the Collector to hear all parties afresh and pass a reasoned decision.
Petition challenges change in recognition
A Bench of Justices Ravindra Ghuge and Abhay Mantri was hearing a petition filed by the Ambernath Vikas Aghadi (AVA) challenging the Collector’s January 9 order that withdrew recognition granted earlier to the AVA and instead recognised an alliance between Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-led NCP as a pre-poll alliance.
Court’s light remark on shifting loyalties
In a lighter moment during the hearing, Justice Ghuge remarked on the shifting loyalties of the four NCP councillors. “Today these four persons are with him (Eknath Shinde), yesterday they were with someone else. They are globetrotting. What if tomorrow they go with someone else?” he quipped.
Poll results and formation of AVA
Elections to the 60-member AMC were held on December 20, 2025. While the BJP won the chairperson’s post through direct election, Shinde’s Shiv Sena emerged as the single largest party with 27 seats, followed by the BJP (14), Congress (12), NCP (4) and independents (2).
With no party crossing the halfway mark of 31, an unlikely alliance was forged between the BJP and Congress, backed by the four NCP councillors and two independents. The grouping was named Ambernath Vikas Aghadi and was recognised by the Collector on January 7 as a pre-poll alliance.
Political backlash and realignments
However, the alliance triggered political backlash. Congress suspended its 12 elected members, and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis directed the BJP to sever ties, calling the arrangement “non-acceptable”. Subsequently, the Congress councillors joined the BJP.
Amid further realignment, the NCP’s four members shifted support to Shinde’s Shiv Sena, prompting the Collector on January 9 to recognise that combination as a pre-poll alliance and revoke AVA’s recognition. This led AVA to move the High Court.
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Fresh hearing ordered
The HC directed all parties to submit written representations to the Collector by January 28. The Collector has been asked to decide the issue within 21 days thereafter. The court further ordered that the fresh decision shall not be implemented for two weeks, and stayed the Collector’s January 7 and 9 communications till then.
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