In a significant development, the Maharashtra State Election Commission has extended the deadline for announcing local body election results. The outcomes, initially expected on December 3, will now be declared on December 21, following a directive from the Bombay High Court’s Nagpur bench. The court’s decision stems from concerns about the integrity of the electoral process.
Justices Anil S. Kilor and Rajneesh R. Vyas, presiding over a division bench, highlighted the potential for phased result declarations to create an uneven playing field. They noted that early results could sway voters in upcoming phases. This ruling was issued in response to petitions filed by municipal wards, including Warora and Gondia, who challenged the Commission’s plan to count and announce results in stages.
Petitioners had argued for a unified result announcement for all wards within a municipal council on a single day. Following Tuesday’s voting for Nagar Panchayats and Parishads, the counting has been rescheduled to December 21. This date will now accommodate the results for these polls as well as those scheduled for December 20 voting.
Opposition parties have also raised alarms about the election management. Congress leader Nana Patole accused the Election Commission of deliberately weakening democratic institutions. He publicly called on Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to initiate impeachment proceedings against the commission, with the Congress party’s full backing. Patole specifically cited the conduct of the Maharashtra local body elections as an example of compromised democratic practices.
Harshwardhan Sapkal, Maharashtra Congress President, also voiced criticism, pointing to administrative failures and procedural flaws. He suggested the Election Commission was influenced by the Chief Minister, citing delays in voting and counting as indicators of bias. Sapkal estimated that around 25,000 complaints might have been registered across the state, emphasizing the negative impact on democracy.