Supreme Court Sets Deadline for Maharashtra Local Body Elections
The Supreme Court has stepped in to push forward local body elections in Maharashtra, ordering the state government and the State Election Commission (SEC) to wrap up the polls by January 31, 2026. This comes after the court expressed frustration over delays in implementing OBC reservations as they stood before the 2022 J.K. Banthia Commission changes.
A bench led by Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi didn’t hold back, scolding the authorities for missing the earlier deadline of August 2025. They granted a one-time extension but made it clear: no more delays will be tolerated. The court wants the delimitation process—redrawing electoral boundaries—finished by October 31, 2025. Importantly, any hold-up in this step won’t push back the elections.
This isn’t the first time the top court has weighed in on Maharashtra local body polls and OBC reservations. Back in May, it had asked the SEC to notify the elections within four weeks and aim to complete them in four months. The bench added that the SEC could seek more time if truly needed, but the polls will depend on ongoing challenges to the Banthia Commission’s recommendations.
Flashback to 2022: A bench under then-Chief Justice N.V. Ramana ordered a status quo on the election process. Earlier that July, the Supreme Court approved the Banthia’s 27% OBC quota in local bodies and urged quick notifications. But it all stems from a 2021 ruling where the court said OBC reservations in local elections need to pass the "triple test" from its 2010 order. This means the government must collect solid data on OBC population via a commission, set the right reservation percentage, and keep total reserved seats under 50%.
The Maharashtra government had rolled out the quota through an ordinance that year, arguing it was key to giving OBC communities a real voice in governance. Now, with the court’s firm deadline, voters in the state can look forward to these crucial local body elections getting back on track soon.
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