The Supreme Court has approved holding local body elections in Maharashtra with 27% reservation for OBCs. It directed the State Election Commission to issue election notifications within four weeks and complete the process in four months.
The Supreme Court cleared the way for the Maharashtra Election Commission to conduct local body elections under the new ward delimitation, which includes a 27% reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBC).
Petitions had been filed in the Supreme Court to block the State Election Commission’s process, arguing that elections should be held based on the 2022 ward structure without OBC reservations.
Since the pandemic, many civic bodies in the state have been managed by administrators rather than elected officials.
During the hearing, the Supreme Court dismissed all these petitions and reaffirmed that, per its order dated May 6, 2024, the 27% OBC reservation will apply to local body elections in Maharashtra.
Additionally, the court stated that elections will be conducted based on the new ward delimitation rather than the previous structure from March 11, 2022.
The court has instructed the State Election Commission to issue election notifications within four weeks and to complete the electoral process within four months. This ruling is a significant relief for the state government and has generated enthusiasm within the OBC community.
Following the judgment, elections for 29 municipal corporations, 290 municipal councils, 32 district councils, and 335 panchayat samitis are anticipated to be announced. The new delimitation is to be submitted to the State Election Commission by August 6.
NCP minister and OBC leader Chhagan Bhujbal expressed his support for the Supreme Court’s decision, calling it a victory.
He stated that the rights of OBCs in local bodies cannot be taken away and expressed satisfaction that the court dismissed the petition challenging OBC reservations.
Bhujbal said,
“The Bhantia commission has directed the 10%, 10%, and 30% reservations for the OBC in local body elections as per the size of OBC populations in respective districts and areas. We received the Bhantia commission report. There were 27% OBC reservations given by the centre so in totality it has to be implemented in local body elections as well. There should not vary in reservations from 10% to 30% in the local body. We wanted 27% OBC reservations across the state. We consistently fought for our rights and we got victory. Now, it is the right of the state government to prepare the delimitation wards and submit them to the election commission,”