Mumbai: In a major reform aimed at ensuring timely conduct of local body elections, the Maharashtra Cabinet has decided that the decision of the election officer on the acceptance or rejection of nomination papers of candidates in Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections will be final and cannot be challenged before district courts. The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday.
Amendment to Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis Act
To give legal backing to the move, the Cabinet has approved an amendment to Section 14(2) of the Maharashtra Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis Act, 1961. The government has also cleared the issuance of the Maharashtra Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025. Once promulgated, the amendment will remove the provision that allowed candidates to file appeals before district courts against the decisions of election officers on nomination papers.
According to the State government, the decision is crucial to ensure that elections to Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis are conducted in a timely and time-bound manner. Under the existing legal framework, appeals against the acceptance or rejection of nomination papers often remained pending in district courts for varying periods, resulting in delays and uncertainty in the election process. The prolonged pendency of such cases has, on several occasions, made it difficult to hold elections as per the announced schedule.
The government noted that the State Election Commission had formally recommended the deletion of this provision, citing repeated disruptions to the election calendar. The Cabinet decision follows this recommendation and reflects the administration’s intent to streamline the electoral process and prevent avoidable litigation from stalling elections at the grassroots level.
Recent Postponement Highlighted Urgency
The urgency of the reform was underscored by recent developments. On December 1, the State Election Commission was forced to postpone elections to 24 Nagar Parishads and Nagar Panchayats, along with elections to 154 membership posts scheduled for December 20. The postponement was necessitated after several candidates approached district courts following the rejection of their nomination papers by election officers. As the courts did not decide on the appeals before the scheduled polling date, the Commission had no option but to defer the elections.
Elections under the revised schedule, covering both president posts and all membership positions, are being held in 24 Nagar Parishads and Nagar Panchayats across the State. These include Ambernath in Thane district; Kopargaon, Deolali Pravara, Pathardi and Nevasa in Ahilyanagar; Baramati and Fursungi–Uruli Devachi in Pune district; Akluj and Mangalvedha in Solapur; Mahabaleshwar and Phaltan in Satara; Phulambri in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar; Mukhed and Dharmabad in Nanded; Nilanga and Renapur in Latur; Basmath in Hingoli; Anjangaon Surji in Amravati; Balapur in Akola; Yavatmal in Yavatmal district; Washim in Washim; Deulgaon Raja in Buldhana; Deoli in Wardha; and Ghugus in Chandrapur district.
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