Maharashtra CM expresses displeasure over the last-minute decision to postpone elections in some constituencies

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday (December 1, 2025) expressed displeasure over Maharashtra State Election Commission’s (SEC) decision to postpone local body polls in some constituencies across the state till December 20.

“I am unable to understand how they are interpreting rules to do this. I have spoken to several experts, including lawyer and so far, as I know, there is no provision to postpone polls a day before elections are scheduled,” said Mr. Fadnavis, while speaking to media persons during one of his campaigns for local body elections.

The first phase of local body elections were scheduled on Tuesday, December 2 for 246 municipal councils and 42 nagar panchayats. However, the State election commission ordered revision of the elections in at least 22 municipal councils and panchayats and postponed polls due to “procedural irregularities” and court cases.

Calling delay in elections “injustice towards candidates, Mr. Fadnavis said, “Due to revision, the campaigning efforts of the party workers for last 20 to 25 days has gone into vain.”

The elections for at least 22 regions in 6 divisions has been postponed, including Baramati Municipal Council, Fursungi–Uruli Devachi Municipal Council and others.

According to SEC, “Some of the appeals have been filed in the High Court due to non-action in some districts. The appeals filed in the Municipal Council and the Nagar Panchayat were required to be decided by November 22 so that the concerned candidate would have got a period of three days to withdraw his nomination paper and thereafter it would have been appropriate to allot the election symbol to the validly nominated candidate on November 26, but in respect of some Municipal Councils, Nagar Panchayats the case is yet to be heard and in some decision is not made.”

The SEC rescheduled polls in the wards, where there were delays in appeals involving members’ seats such as Talegaon Dabhade, Lonavala, Daund, and Saswad municipal councils. No fresh nominations will be accepted, while withdrawals will be permitted till 3 pm on December 10, as per SEC.