• Source:JND
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Maharashtra Local Body Election: Voting is underway for the first phase of the Maharashtra local body elections on Tuesday, covering 264 municipal councils and nagar panchayats. The polling, which began at 7:30 AM and will conclude at 5:30 PM, involves nearly one crore eligible voters with 62,108 polling personnel deployed across 12,316 polling stations to ensure a smooth exercise. The first phase will decide the fate of 6,042 seats and 264 council president posts. Vote counting will be conducted on December 21.

The election is part of the multi-tier local body process, which the State Election Commission (SEC) has been mandated to conclude by January 31, 2026, following a Supreme Court directive. Speaking to news agency PTI, an official said, “The State Election Commission (SEC) has arranged an adequate number of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), 17,367 control units, and 34,734 ballot units.”

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Maharashtra Local Body Elections: Mahayuti vs MVA Clash In Multi-Dimensional Battle

The battle for the 288 local bodies (municipal councils and nagar panchayats) in Maharashtra has become multi-dimensional. The main battle is between the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti and the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), the PTI report added.

The electoral process, which began with the announcement on November 4, includes "friendly fights" among the alliances, and subtle bids for one-upmanship between the BJP and Shiv Sena. The process has also been marked by legal disputes and disagreements among allies in both major camps, the report added.

The Mahayuti comprises the BJP, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party. The MVA consists of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), Sharad Pawar's NCP (SP), and the Congress.

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Maharashtra Local Body Election: Polling Postponed In 24 Local Bodies

The local body elections in Maharashtra are being conducted under a Supreme Court directive that requires all pending polls to be completed by January 31, 2026. Following judicial appeals against decisions made by Returning Officers during the scrutiny of nomination papers, the State Election Commission (SEC) has postponed the polling in 24 local bodies to December 20.

Additionally, elections for 154 seats across 76 municipal councils and nagar panchayats have also been rescheduled to December 20 due to ongoing court cases.

The schedule of 29 municipal corporations (like Mumbai), 32 Zilla Parishads, and 336 panchayat samitis has not yet been announced by the SEC.

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