State Election Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare has informed that all upcoming local body elections in Maharashtra will be held strictly within the legally mandated reservation limits. i.e. 50 percent. He stated that despite procedural challenges, the election process will continue as scheduled.
Waghmare informed that elections for Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis have been finalised; however, reservation will need to be redrawn for 20 out of the 32 districts as the quota limits were exceeded. The revised reservation process will take approximately 15 days. “The elections will be held while ensuring that reservation does not cross the prescribed limits,” he clarified.
The Commissioner also highlighted that out of 29 municipal corporations in the state, reservation limits have been exceeded only in Nagpur and Chandrapur, while the remaining 27 corporations will go to polls as scheduled. Considering the time required for reservation corrections and legal processes, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections are likely to be held by the end of January or in the first week of February 2026, he added.
The announcement comes after the Supreme Court’s hearing on the OBC reservation issue, which cleared the way for continuing the election process.
Meanwhile, voting for municipal councils and nagar panchayats is scheduled for December 2. Of these, reservation in 40 municipal councils and 17 nagar panchayats has exceeded the 50% limit. The validity of election results in these areas will be dependent upon the result of supreme court orders regarding reservation compliance.
Waghmare further stated that Zilla Parishad elections will proceed without delay in 12 districts where reservation remains within the legal threshold. In the remaining 17 districts, categories exceeding the quota will be reassigned to women or open categories during the revised draw process.
The State Election Commission is also working to ensure timely municipal corporation polls. “We aim to conduct all corporation elections by January 31. In case of delays due to procedural requirements, the elections may be completed by the first week of February,” Waghmare said.
He expressed confidence that the entire schedule for all pending local body elections would be completed by early February.
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