The Supreme Court on Tuesday fixed January 31, 2026 as the final deadline for completing all local body elections in Maharashtra, while sharply criticising the State Election Commission (SEC) for its failure to act promptly despite repeated directions. The apex court made it clear that the extension was a “one-time concession” and no further relaxation would be granted.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi directed that elections to all Zila Parishads, Panchayat Samitis, municipalities and other local bodies must be held within the stipulated timeframe. “No further extension shall be granted to the state or the State Election Commission. In case any other logistic assistance is required, SEC should approach this court before October 31, 2025. No such prayer will be entertained thereafter,” the order stated.
The court directed that the ongoing delimitation exercise must be concluded by October 31, 2025, warning that it could not be used as an excuse to postpone elections. Excuses such as non-availability of EVMs, lack of school premises during exams, or shortage of staff were outrightly rejected.
“We are constrained to observe that SEC has failed to take prompt action for compliance of this Court’s directions in the prescribed schedule,” the bench observed. It clarified that since board examinations are due only in March 2026, they could not justify delaying elections which must conclude by January.
To address staffing shortages, the court instructed the SEC to submit details of required personnel within two weeks to the state’s Chief Secretary, who must then coordinate with departments and ensure availability within four weeks.
On the issue of EVM shortfalls, the SEC was ordered to arrange machines and file a compliance affidavit by November 30, 2025.
Local body elections in Maharashtra have remained stalled since 2022 due to litigation over Other Backward Classes (OBC) reservations. In May 2025, the Supreme Court had directed that polls be held under the OBC quota regime that existed before the JK Banthia Commission report of 2022, noting that constitutional democracy could not be paralysed indefinitely.
“The reservation shall be provided to the OBC communities as per the law as it existed in Maharashtra before the 2022 Banthia Commission report,” the earlier order had clarified, while permitting polls to proceed within four months.
On Tuesday, the bench reiterated that grassroots democracy through periodic elections is a constitutional mandate. It noted that amendments to OBC inclusion or exclusion could be addressed later, but elections could not be held hostage to such disputes.
According to Ministry of Panchayati Raj records, elections are pending in 26 out of 34 Zila Parishads, 289 out of 351 Block Panchayats, and 26,723 out of 27,933 Gram Panchayats.
As a result, nearly ₹3,000 crore in central funds earmarked for local governance have been withheld since 2022–23, leaving rural development and local bodies in administrative limbo.
The prolonged deadlock has persisted under the BJP-led Maha Yuti alliance government in Maharashtra. Despite repeated warnings, the state did not conduct elections on time. In 2022, when data collection delays were cited, the Supreme Court had even ordered that OBC-reserved seats be temporarily reallocated to the general category to avoid further disruption, but elections still did not take place.
