NAGPUR: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday announced the schedule for key legislative council elections in Maharashtra, including a bye-election for the Nagpur Local Authorities’ Constituency and biennial polls for 16 other seats across the state.Polling for all 17 seats will be held on June 18, with counting scheduled for June 22. Following the announcement, the Model Code of Conduct has come into effect immediately in the respective constituencies.The bye-election in the Nagpur Local Authorities’ Constituency was necessitated by a casual vacancy created after Chandrashekhar Krishnaraoji Bawankule vacated the seat.Bawankule resigned from the MLC post on November 23, 2024, after being elected to the Maharashtra legislative assembly. The seat’s term is set to expire on January 1, 2028.Separately, the ECI also announced biennial elections to fill 16 vacant seats across various Local Authorities’ Constituencies. Although the terms of the sitting members had already ended, the elections were delayed due to strict constitutional requirements related to local governance representation.As per ECI guidelines, elections can be conducted only when at least 75% of local bodies in a constituency are functional and at least 75% of electors are in place. The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Maharashtra has now confirmed that these conditions have been met across all 16 constituencies, paving the way for the resumption of the electoral process.The 16 constituencies where biennial elections will be conducted include Solapur, Ahmednagar, Thane, Jalgaon, Sangli-cum-Satara, Nanded, Yavatmal, Pune, Bhandara-cum-Gondia, Raigad-cum-Ratnagiri-cum-Sindhudurg, Nashik, Wardha-cum-Chandrapur-cum-Gadchiroli, Amravati, Osmanabad-cum-Latur-cum-Beed, Parbhani-cum-Hingoli, and Aurangabad-cum-Jalna, the press note stated.As per the election schedule, the notification for both the biennial elections and the bye-election will be issued on May 25. The last date for filing nominations is June 1, followed by scrutiny of nominations on June 2. Candidates may withdraw their nominations until June 4.Polling will be held on June 18 from 8 am to 4 pm, while counting of votes is scheduled for June 22. The entire election process will conclude by June 25.The ECI further stated that the Model Code of Conduct has come into force with immediate effect in the concerned constituencies.(With agency inputs)
What do you think was the main reason for the delay in the biennial elections?
