Supreme Court clears path for local body polls in Maharashtra with 27 per cent OBC reservations
The petitions were filed in the Supreme Court seeking to halt the State Election Commission's process and demanding that elections be conducted as per the 2022 ward structure without OBC reservation. The local body elections were not held since the pandemic in the state therefore many civic bodies are run by the administrator rather than the elected bodies.
However, during the hearing, the apex court rejected all such petitions and clarified that, in line with its order dated May 6, 2024, the 27% OBC reservation will remain applicable in local body elections in Maharashtra. Furthermore, the court stated that elections will be conducted based on the new ward delimitation, not the old structure of March 11, 2022.
The court has directed the State Election Commission to issue election notifications within four weeks and complete the entire electoral process within four months. This ruling comes as a significant relief for the state government and has sparked excitement within the OBC community.
Following the judgment, elections in 29 municipal corporations, 290 municipal councils, 32 district councils, and 335 panchayat samitis are expected to be announced. The new delimitation will be submitted to the state election commission by August 6.
NCP minister and OBC leader Chhagan Bhujbal welcomed the Supreme Court order saying this is their victory. He said that the OBC's right in local bodies cannot be snatched and he is glad the Supreme Court has dismissed the petition that challenged the OBC reservations in local bodies.
'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,' Bhujbal said.
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