Supreme Court directs Maharashtra election commission to take call on local body polls

The Supreme Court, in a ruling two days ago, has directed the State Election Commission (SEC) to take a call on the local body election at its level and added that the Maharashtra government cannot decide on the conduct of the local body election.

The Supreme Court, in a ruling two days ago, has directed the State Election Commission (SEC) to take a call on the local body election at its level and added that the state government cannot decide on the conduct of the local body election. It earlier stated that the absence of the political quota to Other Backward Classes (OBC) in local body elections cannot be the grounds for the postponement of the elections.

The Supreme Court said the Maharashtra government cannot decide on conduct of local body election. (FILE)

While hearing a case related to due local body elections and bypolls to the seats fallen vacant in five district council after the quota was quashed, the Apex court said the the decision over the elections should be taken by the State Election Commission. Pointing at the notification issued by the state government on August 11, banning the campaigning of the elections, the SC said the government cannot constrict the court decision related to the OBC quota on March 4.

“The SC verdict further clarified that the state government has no right to decide on the conduct of the elections to the local bodies, and the power are with the SEC. The SEC should decide on the dates for election by considering the Covid-19 situation in the state,” said an official from Mantralaya.

The elections to more than five municipal corporations, two district councils, over 100 municipal councils and nagar panchayats and bypolls to dozens of seats in five district councils are due since the past few months.