Hey there, folks! Big news coming out of Maharashtra today. A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Supreme Court demanding immediate local body elections in the state. The petition, filed by Akhil Bharatiya Grahak Panchayat through their Pune Region President Vijay Sagar, is challenging the delay in holding Municipal Corporation elections.
Advocate Satya Muley, who filed the PIL on 3rd January, is contesting the legitimacy of a 2022 amendment to the Maharashtra Municipal Corporation Act. This amendment shifted the power of ward delimitation from the Maharashtra State Election Commission to the State Government.
Muley argues that the prolonged delay in conducting local body elections goes against the Constitution and undermines participatory democracy. The petition highlights that elections for various Municipal Corporations in Maharashtra are overdue by more than four years, violating the constitutional mandate.
The controversy around OBC reservations in local body elections is a key issue in this case. The Supreme Court has mandated the fulfillment of the “Triple Test” criteria for OBC reservations, which includes setting up a commission for empirical inquiry.
The petition names the State of Maharashtra, Law and Judiciary Department, the Chief Secretary, and the Maharashtra State Election Commission as respondents. Akhil Bharatiya Grahak Panchayat President Vijay Sagar mentioned receiving complaints about civic issues due to the absence of elected representatives.
Advocate Muley stressed the importance of timely elections and the unconstitutionality of delaying them for delimitation or reservation exercises. The petitioners are seeking urgent judicial intervention to ensure accountability and effective governance at the grassroots level in Maharashtra.
Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story!
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