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Mumbai, Oct 13 (IANS) The Maharashtra State Election Commission (SEC) has appealed to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to postpone the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state due to local and civic body elections.
The SEC in its recent letter said that it is currently busy completing the election process in 29 Municipal Corporations, all 247 Municipal Councils, 42 Nagar Panchayats out of 147 Nagar Panchayats, 32 Zilla Parishads out of 34 District Councils and 336 Panchayat Samitis out of 351 Panchayat Samitis before January 31 next year as per the order of the Supreme Court.
SEC sources confirmed that it has requested the ECI to postpone the SIR till these elections, as the election machinery is currently busy preparing and ultimately conducting these elections.
“The Hon’ble Supreme Court of India vide its order dated 6th May 2025 has directed the State Election Commission to endeavor to conduct the elections to local bodies in Maharashtra within a period of four months, with the liberty to the State Election Commission to seek extension of time in appropriate cases. Elections in all 29 Municipal Corporations, all 247 Municipal Councils, 42 Nagar Panchayats out of 147 Nagar Panchayats, 32 out of 34 District Councils in Maharashtra 336 Zilla Parishads and 351 Panchayats Of the committees, dues are due from 336 panchayat committees,” the SEC said in the letter.
According to the SEC, at present the delimitation of wards of Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis has been completed, while the process of delimitation of wards of Municipal Corporations, City Councils and Nagar Panchayats is going to be completed soon.
The process of bifurcation of Legislative Assembly voter lists for these local bodies will be carried out further, and then the actual elections will be conducted.
“Tentatively, the process of elections for all these bodies is likely to continue till January 2026, during which time most of the deputy collectors and tehsildars (who are appointed as returning officers and assistant returning officers for local body elections) in the state will be engaged in these elections.
The SEC argued, “Since the field staff, including Deputy Collectors and Tehsildars, are the same authorities for local body elections and revision of Assembly electoral rolls, it is requested that the Special Intensive Revision Programme, if such a program is planned to be launched, be postponed at least till the end of January 2026.”
The SEC’s request comes at a time when Mahayuti and Maha Vikas Aghadi have intensified their preparations for the upcoming local and civic body elections.
The ruling and opposition parties have also increased their reach with voters, and are exploring various options, including going alone and entering into alliances based on individual strength and leaving the decision to their respective local units.
Incidentally, an all-party delegation is meeting the state Chief Electoral Officer on Tuesday to plead for fair and free elections, especially amid allegations of vote rigging during the state assembly elections held last year.
Sanjay Jog can be contacted at sanjay.j@ians.in
–IANS
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