Hold local polls simultaneously, make it mandatory for people to vote, says Maharashtra CM

The CM also asked state election commissioner to conduct a study for reforms in the election process for local bodies in state

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis wants elections to all local bodies to be held simultaneously and voting to be made mandatory in these polls to increase voting percentage.

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis wants elections to all local bodies to be held simultaneously and voting to be made mandatory in these polls. (HT Photo)

The chief minister (CM) also asked the state election commissioner JS Saharia to conduct a study for reforms in the election process for local bodies across Maharashtra.

Speaking at a conference organised by the state election commission on Friday, Fadnavis said, “We need to consider making voting mandatory for the elections being conducted as per state election acts. Some people tend to comment on policy decisions but don’t exercise their voting rights.” Maharashtra has five laws for local body elections. They are — Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act 1888, Maharashtra Municipal Corporations Act, 1949, Maharashtra Nagarparishad, Nagarpanchayat and Industrial Towns Act, 1965, Maharashtra Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti Act, 1962 and Maharashtra Grampanchayat Act, 1958.

“We also need to consider conducting elections of all the local bodies at the same time. The stress on the state election commission, administration and police can be reduced,” he said.

The CM asked the state election commissioner to conduct a study “Based on the rights provided by the Constitution, we should bring some reforms in the election process. It will also incorporate merging all five acts into one on the lines of ‘The Representation of the People Act, 1951’,” he said.