EC Announces Poll Schedule For 10 Maharashtra legislative council seats - Check Here

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday, May 25, declared the poll schedule for 10 seats of the Maharashtra legislative council.

According to reports, the polling is slated for June 20, which is 10 days after the voting for six seats of Rajya Sabha scheduled on June 10. Moreover, the counting will take place on the same day after 5 pm.

The EC’s order stated that the notification will be issued on June 2, last date of nomination is June 9, the scrutiny of the nomination will be done on June 10, last date for the withdrawal of the nomination is June 13. The poll process has to be completed by June 22.

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This development comes as the term of the current council members ends in July 7 this year. 

Earlier, on Tuesday, May 17, the Supreme Court (SC) asked the Maharashtra State Election Commission to hold civic as well as local body polls in those districts that have less rainfall, reports stated.

For those unversed, in the 288-member Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, the Maha Vikas Aghadi has support of 168 legislators comprising Shiv Sena (55), NCP (53), Congress (44), other parties (8) and independents (8).

Whereas in the case of the BJP, which has 106 legislators, it has the support of one legislator each of Jan Surajya and Rashtriya Samaj Paksha and five independents. Together, the BJP has a strength of 113 legislators.

Meanwhile, Legislative council chairman Ramraje Nimbalkar, industries minister Subhash Desai, leader of opposition Praveen Darekar, veteran Shiv Sena leader Diwakar Raote, BJP leader Prasad Lad, Maratha leader Vinayak Mete and former minister Sadabhau Khot are among the retiring members.

Moreover, on May 2, the apex court had asked them to commence the elections procedure in two weeks. 

 The SEC reportedly informed the SC that the pre-poll process would require nearly two additional months for completion. The said process was stopped, following the Maharashtra government amending the law to take SEC's power of forming wards.