Hope Maharashtra local polls are allowed to be held smoothly: Fadnavis on SC's quota observation

Mumbai, Nov 25 (PTI) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday said as the process for local body polls in the state is in the final stage, he hopes the Supreme Court considers the government's request and allows the elections to go on smoothly.

He made the statement after the apex court on Tuesday observed that the final results of elections for 57 local bodies, where 50 per cent ceiling on quota has been breached, will depend on its judgement in the case.

Elections to the 246 municipal councils and 42 nagar panchayats in the state will be held on December 2, while the civic corporation polls are expected to take place in January 2026.

A Supreme Court bench, comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi, made the observation while deferring to November 28 the hearing on the issue of reservation in local body elections.

"I hope that the SC will understand that the poll process has kickstarted and it is in the final stages. The polls are on December 2. So I hope the Supreme Court will heed to the request to let the polls go on smoothly," Fadnavis told reporters.

He added that the Supreme Court made a positive observation on Tuesday about the OBC reservation. It has also observed that the larger bench should review the decision.

The state government has always taken the stand that polls should take place with OBC reservation, he added. PTI PR NP