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Time of India
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Mahayuti Not Poll-Ready, Cites Public Mood, Rains
Nagpur: The State Election Commission (SEC) is preparing to hold the long-delayed local body elections in Maharashtra in three phases by December. However, leaders from the ruling Mahayuti alliance have begun pressing for a postponement, citing political and logistical hurdles. A city-based Shiv Sena functionary told TOI that the recent joint rally by Uddhav and Raj Thackeray on the Hindi language row shifted the public mood. "If they fight together, they may get an advantage in Mumbai and suburbs. Their unity may be temporary, but it has evoked strong emotional reactions from the Marathi Manoos, especially in urban pockets," he said. The BJP and NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) have also expressed concern over voter discontent, particularly in Marathwada and Vidarbha. A BJP leader from the region said, "Floods and unseasonal rains devastated farmers. Many haven't received compensation for previous losses. There's clear resentment in rural areas, and our 2024 pre-poll promises of loan waiver remain unfulfilled." NCP's city President Prashant Pawar said elections before October would be impractical given ongoing rains. "There's no official word from the Election Commission, but holding such a massive exercise before the winter session will be challenging," he said. Another NCP leader pointed out that elections to 687 bodies — including 22 Zilla Parishads, 226 Panchayat Samitis, 248 Nagar Parishads, 42 Nagar Panchayats, and 29 Municipal Corporations — would require immense coordination. Despite the pushback, the SEC is reportedly firming up a three-phase plan due to an acute shortage of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). Officials say over 29,000 machines are needed to cover the entire electoral process. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis recently chaired a high-level meeting with ministers and top bureaucrats in Mumbai to assess preparedness. Sources said the govt is mindful of the Supreme Court's directive to conduct the elections within four months. The SEC has initiated a series of video conferences with district collectors and local bodies to finalise schedules and begin preparatory work. In a circular issued earlier this week, it directed civic bodies to initiate ward delimitation and other groundwork essential for the polls, the district administration sources said. The sources confirmed that the finalisation of the ward-wise delimitation process will be completed by August, ensuring that preparations remain on track. "Holding all elections simultaneously was proving difficult due to the EVM constraints and manpower requirements. A phased approach is more feasible," they said. Sources added that the SEC has already received instructions from the Urban Development Department to complete all necessary groundwork, and that a model schedule has been circulated to concerned departments.
Time of India
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Maha restricts deletion of cemetery from urban DP
Mumbai: The state govt has issued directions under the Maharashtra Regional Town Planning (MRTP) Act to all urban local bodies not to delete reservations for cemeteries/burial grounds from their development plans (DP). Any change of reservation of a plot reserved for cemeteries/burial grounds or deletion of such a reservation will now require cabinet approval. Maharashtra has 29 municipal corporations, 232 municipal councils, and 125 Nagar Panchayats. In an order issued early this month, the state urban development department (UDD) observed that several urban local bodies have issued notices under section 37(1) of the MRTP for modification of their DP to delete reservations for cemeteries/burial grounds. Section 37(1) empowers the Planning Authority to modify a final DP, but only if the changes do not alter the plan's overall character. Also, these proposals are being submitted to the govt for its approval. A senior govt official said the deletion of reservation for cremation/burial grounds is being increasingly sought from smaller municipal corporations and councils. "Often, these reservations are put on plots owned by private persons. Many do not want this reservation. We received proposals seeking change of use to Green Zone, Sewage Treatment Plant, and also deletion," said the official. The order states that as population in areas of urban local bodies is continuously increasing, reservation of graveyards/burial grounds is made in the development plan. "Exclusion of such reservations from DP deprives local citizens of the facility, hurts the religious sentiments of citizens, and creates law and order issues." The order further states that in public interest, the govt has issued a directive under section 154 of the MRTP Act to prevent encroachment on existing graveyards and burial grounds, not to regularise encroachment no matter how old it is, and no change to be made to reservation. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Your Finger Shape Says a Lot About Your Personality, Read Now Tips and Tricks Undo Advocate Gayatri Singh said a particular process is followed by local bodies before reservations are placed in a DP and a similar procedure is to be followed to delete/change a reservation. "By issuing such a directive, state govt is taking away the rights of local bodies and is opening doors for change/deletion of other reservations. It is completely illegal," she said.
