New Delhi, Nov 28 (UNI) The Supreme Court on Friday permitted the Maharashtra local body elections to proceed as scheduled, while making it clear that the results will remain subject to the outcome of the case challenging the State’s revised OBC reservation matrix.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi passed the order while hearing petitions questioning Maharashtra’s decision to implement a fresh reservation framework for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) based on the Banthia Commission report.
“The elections of the Nagar Panchayats and Municipal Corporations shall take place. However, the result of 40 Municipal Corporations and 17 Nagar Panchayats shall be subject to the outcome,” the Court directed.
Last week, the Supreme Court expressed serious concern over reports that its earlier directions were being misinterpreted.
The Bench reiterated that the 50 percent ceiling on total reservations, a constitutional limit reaffirmed repeatedly, cannot be breached.
The Bench intervened after it was informed that the reservation matrix in several local bodies exceeded the permissible limit.
Earlier, the Court had extended the overall election schedule, directing that the polls be completed by January 31, 2026, with the delimitation process to finish by October 31, 2025.
In May 2025, the Supreme Court instructed that the long-delayed Maharashtra local body elections pending since 2022 due to disputes over OBC reservations, must be conducted within four months.
The Banthia Commission had recommended up to 27 percent OBC reservation, but its findings are under challenge and await judicial scrutiny.
The interim order passed today again affirms that the election results will be contingent on the Court’s final decision.
In August 2022, the Supreme Court directed the Maharashtra State Election Commission (SEC) and the State Government to maintain the status quo regarding the polls due to ongoing legal disputes.
The State later moved the Court seeking recall of an order restraining the SEC from re-notifying the poll process for 367 local bodies, arguing that fresh notifications were necessary to implement OBC reservations. The government had also issued an ordinance providing 27 percent reservation to OBCs in local body elections.
On July 20, 2022, the Supreme Court ordered the SEC to notify all local body elections within two weeks, in a batch of petitions challenging amendments to municipal and local governance laws governing elections.
SC allows Maharashtra local body polls to proceed; results subject to final verdict on OBC quota
