The State Election Commission (SEC) appears to be moving toward conducting the Municipal Elections 2025 ahead of the Zilla Parishad polls, with officials indicating that the formal schedule could be announced between December 15 and 20. Sources suggest that elections for 29 municipal corporations may be declared first due to complexities arising from reservation limits in rural bodies.
Reservation Roadblocks Delay Zilla Parishad Polls
The 50 percent cap on political reservation has been exceeded in several Zilla Parishads across Maharashtra, creating procedural hurdles for the electoral process. With reservation irregularities significantly higher in Zilla Parishads than in municipal corporations, the SEC is reportedly finding it more practical to advance the urban polls.
To review the status of preparedness, the SEC has summoned commissioners of all 29 municipal corporations for a key meeting today. The discussion is expected to assess readiness levels, logistical requirements, and timelines for holding the elections.
Fresh Objections Trigger Additional Meetings
Amid multiple objections raised by political parties over issues related to the Mumbai Municipal Corporation elections, the SEC has convened a separate high-level meeting. The Mumbai Municipal Corporation Commissioner is also expected to attend. This follows an earlier consultation held two days prior, where party representatives flagged concerns regarding electoral rolls and administrative procedures.
The latest meeting aims to address those objections and refine the roadmap for BMC’s 2025 elections.
SEC Accelerates Second-Phase Municipal Poll Process
The commission has already initiated steps for the second phase of municipal elections. Among 29 municipal corporations, only Chandrapur and Nagpur show marginal reservation deviations, while the gap in Zilla Parishads is considerably larger. Given this imbalance, officials say the SEC is leaning toward holding elections in 27 municipal corporations first.
For this purpose, the SEC has scheduled another review with corporation commissioners on November 4, during which the progress of electoral preparations will be evaluated.
Over 7,400 Objections Filed On BMC Draft Rolls
The Mumbai civic body has seen a surge in voter list-related grievances. As of December 3, a total of 7,452 objections were submitted against the draft electoral roll released on November 20. On the final day for filing objections alone, the BMC received 1,958 complaints. The final voter list is expected to be published on December 10.
Statewide, 17 out of 32 Zilla Parishads and 88 out of 336 Panchayat Samitis have crossed the mandated reservation ceiling. Despite minor reservation breaches in Nagpur and Chandrapur municipal corporations, officials have signaled readiness for polling in all 29 urban bodies—clearing the path for municipal elections to take precedence in the 2025 electoral calendar.
