Maharashtra's Local Elections: High-Stakes Political Face-off Amid Legal Hurdles

Maharashtra's first phase of local body elections sees one crore voters eligible to cast ballots for 264 municipal councils amid alliance tensions and legal challenges. The ruling BJP-led Mahayuti faces off against the Opposition MVA, with legal issues prompting postponements in several areas.

The first phase of Maharashtra's much-anticipated local body elections has arrived, with voting set to unfold across 264 municipal councils and nagar panchayats. This electoral endeavor emerges amidst internal alliance tensions, rival political battles, and a slew of legal entanglements following the recent assembly elections a year ago.

As electronic voting machines facilitate the democratic process, around one crore eligible voters will participate in these elections, crucially shaping the fate of over 6,700 members and 264 presidents in these local bodies. Results, pivotal to the state's political trajectory, will be revealed on December 3.

However, the journey hasn't been seamless; elections in 24 local bodies have been deferred to December 20 due to judicial interventions. Furthermore, regulations like the 'Media Regulation and Advertisement Certification Order, 2025' strictly govern election-related media activities on polling day, as the state grapples with maintaining electoral fairness.

(With inputs from agencies.)