Supreme Court Greenlights Maharashtra Polls Amid OBC Reservation Dispute

The Supreme Court has directed Maharashtra to proceed with local body elections within four weeks, ending a five-year delay over OBC reservation issues. The court ordered that elections be conducted following existing state laws rather than new recommendations, allowing OBC reservations, subject to pending court petitions.

The Supreme Court has cleared the path for Maharashtra to conduct local body elections, which had been stalled for more than five years due to disputes over OBC reservations. The court ordered the state election commission to issue notifications for the polls within four weeks, adhering to the existing laws prior to 2022.

A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh emphasized the constitutional necessity to uphold grassroots democracy through periodic elections. They mandated OBC reservations in line with pre-2022 legal provisions, not the 27% quota suggested by the J K Banthia commission.

The bench set a timeline to conclude the elections within four months, although additional time can be requested if necessary. Despite this order, the election outcome remains contingent on pending petitions in the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, debates continue over the need for a dedicated commission to assess OBC backwardness for accurate reservation allocation.

(With inputs from agencies.)