Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Dec 1: Just three days before voting for 288 municipal councils and panchayats, the Maharashtra State Election Commission (SEC) on Sunday postponed elections in at least 20 Nagar Parishads and Nagar Panchayats following procedural lapses and pending court cases. The polls in these civic bodies, including Baramati — the stronghold of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar — will now be held on December 20 instead of December 2.

According to the SEC, the decision was taken after serious issues emerged during the handling of appeals linked to symbol allotment. Officials highlighted delays in rulings, missing written orders, unheard applications, and cases still under judicial consideration, all of which threatened the fairness and transparency of the electoral process.

Sources said the deferred seats include 59 wards in Ambernath, six of the 49 wards in Badlapur, six of 17 local bodies in Pune district, along with three municipal councils and 18 wards across various civic bodies in Marathwada.

Meanwhile, the Bombay High Court recently dismissed the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi’s petition seeking exclusive rights to the gas cylinder symbol for the local body elections, clearing the way for the SEC to proceed with revised arrangements.

In the run-up to the polls, political tensions escalated after Nilesh Rane accused the BJP of attempting to bribe voters, alleging that cash was recovered from a party worker’s home. BJP MLA Nitesh Rane dismissed the claims as baseless.

The SEC said fresh schedules and related procedures will be notified shortly.