Maharashtra Local Body Elections Postponed Until OBC Reservation Restored

The Maharashtra Legislature on Monday unanimously passed a resolution on the postponement of local body elections in the state in the absence of 27 per cent reservation for the Other Backward Classes (OBCs).

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar moved the resolution in the state Assembly that the upcoming local body elections be postponed until the OBC reservation is restored.

It was seconded by Leader of the Opposition Devendra Fadnavis.

The resolution was then unanimously passed by the Lower House.

Pawar said the representation to backward classes in local bodies is necessary.

Later, Maharashtra Rural Development Minister Hasan Mushrif tabled the resolution in the Legislative Council after it was passed in the Assembly.
Council Chairman Ramraje Naik-Nimbalkar sought the opinion of the Upper House over the resolution. The Council members unanimously supported the resolution following which it was passed.

The Supreme Court on December 6 stayed till further orders the local body elections in Maharashtra on seats where there is reservation of up to 27 per cent for the OBCs.
The SC had made clear that the election process for the other seats would continue.
On December 15, the apex court directed the State Election Commission (SEC) of Maharashtra to notify 27 per cent seats in the local body, which were reserved for the OBCs, as general category so that the poll process could be taken forward.

In March this year, the apex court had said the reservation in favour of OBCs in local bodies in Maharashtra cannot exceed an aggregate of 50 per cent of the total seats reserved for the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and the OBCs taken together.

It had referred to the triple condition noted in the Constitution bench verdict of 2010, including setting up a dedicated commission to conduct a contemporaneous rigorous empirical inquiry into the nature and implications of the backwardness qua local bodies within the state.