India Morning News
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday clarified that local body elections in Maharashtra will not be halted. The court referred the issue of exceeding the 50% reservation cap to a three-judge bench, which will hear the matter on 21 January 2025.
During the hearing, the State Election Commission (SEC) informed the court that 40 municipal councils and 17 nagar panchayats currently have reservations exceeding 50%. Despite this, the Supreme Court permitted the elections to continue but stated that the results will be subject to the court’s final ruling.
Key Directions from the Court:
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Elections for municipal councils and nagar panchayats will proceed as scheduled.
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No stay has been imposed on any local body elections.
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Local bodies with reservation above 50% may conduct elections, but results will be provisional pending the final verdict.
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The court reiterated that OBC reservation cannot exceed the 50% limit.
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The Bantia Commission report will be considered as an interim reference.
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Municipal corporations and district councils must ensure reservation stays within the 50% cap.
SEC’s Submission:
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A total of 57 local bodies have exceeded the 50% reservation threshold.
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Some areas are scheduled to vote on 2 December.
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Ward formation, reservation processes, and voter list preparations have been completed.
Interim Order:
The Supreme Court confirmed that all elections will be conducted under its oversight until the final decision. The matter will next be taken up by a three-judge bench on 21 January.
