Pune: The election process in several municipal councils and nagar panchayats across the state has halted after the State Election Commission (SEC) found out that returning officers had illegally allotted poll symbols to candidates whose appeals against nomination scrutiny were either pending, decided late or not heard at all by district courts. In its order issued on Saturday, SEC said all symbol allotments made on or after Nov 26 in such cases are illegal. The letter issued by SEC secretary Suresh Kakani said, “Despite appeals being decided on or after Nov 23, without written orders or without being heard, returning officers proceeded with symbol allotment without providing the mandatory three-day withdrawal window.” Calling it a clear violation of election rules, the commission said the irregular handling of appeals, delayed rulings, missing written decisions, unheard matters and cases still before the court, had compromised the integrity of the election process. It has therefore declared all such symbol allotments as “illegal”.Collectors have been directed to compile lists of all affected seats and bodies, certify that Rule 17(1)(b) was not followed, and implement a revised election schedule. They must also submit the certified lists to the SEC without delay and give wide publicity to the new timetable.The commission had issued the election programme for 246 municipal councils and 42 nagar panchayats on Nov 4. Under the Maharashtra Municipal Election Rules, 1966, candidates aggrieved by a returning officer’s decision on nomination scrutiny may file appeals before the district court, and several such appeals were filed.These appeals were required to be decided by Nov 22 to ensure candidates received the mandatory three-day period under Rule 17(1)(b) to withdraw their nominations. Only after this could returning officers allot election symbols on Nov 26. However, the SEC found that in multiple bodies, appeals were decided late, written orders were not issued in time, some appeals were never heard, and several cases remained subject to court directions. Despite this, ROs allotted symbols without giving candidates the required withdrawal period.The SEC has clarified that elections to the affected member seats stand postponed. In cases where the appeal pertains to the post of chairman, the election for the entire municipal council or nagar panchayat has been deferred. “District collectors have been instructed not to conduct polling for these bodies under the earlier election programme announced on Nov 4,” SEC officials said.Six municipal councils in dist to face poll delays Pune collector Jitendra Dudi has submitted a detailed report to SEC stating that elections in six of the 17 municipal councils and nagar panchayats in the district—Baramati, Phursungi–Uruli Devachi, Talegaon Dabhade, Lonavla, Daund and Saswad—must be postponed after district courts delivered decisions on nomination-related appeals beyond the Nov 22 deadline set by the SEC.In its Nov 29 order, the SEC directed that elections for any seat where appeals were decided on or after Nov 23 cannot proceed under the original Nov 4 schedule. Where the appeal concerns the chairman’s post, the entire municipal council election, including all member seats, must be deferred and conducted as per a revised timeline.Dudi’s report notes that Baramati and Phursungi–Uruli Devachi fall under this provision. Appeals related to the chairman’s post in both councils were decided only on Nov 26. Several ward-level appeals—seats 2(A), 8(B), 11(B), 13(B), 15(B), 17(A) and 19(B) in Baramati, and seat 13(B) in Fursungi–Uruli Devachi—were also decided late. With the chairman’s post involved, elections for the entire council have been postponed to Dec 20.Late judgments have also pushed back polling for specific member seats in four other councils. Elections will now be held on Dec 20 for seats 2(A), 7(A), 7(B), 8(A), 8(B) and 10(B) in Talegaon Dabhade; seats 5(B) and 10(A) in Lonavla; seat 9(A) in Daund; and seat 11(A) in Saswad. No fresh nominations will be accepted for the postponed chairman or member seats. Candidates may withdraw their nominations until 3pm on Dec 10. The revised schedule will be published separately and publicised locally, the collector said.Three municipal councils in M’wada to be affectedLocal poll officials have postponed the Dec 2 polls to several local self-governing bodies in parts of Marathwada. In Nanded, polls for Mukhed and Dharmabad municipal councils have now been postponed to Dec 20. Also, elections for a ward each from Bhokar, Loha and Kundalwadi municipal councils were also deferred to December 20, said an official release.In Hingoli, the election for Vasmat municipal council has also been postponed to Dec 20. Two wards from Hingoli municipal council will also follow a fresh election schedule. In Parbhani, elections for two wards from Purna municipal council and one ward from Jintur municipal council will have polling on Dec 20.In Beed, polls were deferred for four wards each of Ambajogai and Parli municipal councils and a ward each for local self-governing body Beed and Kille Dharur. Related updates from other districts in Marathwada were unavailable till late evening.Meanwhile, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde are among the top leaders who will be holding rallies in Marathwada on the last day of campaigning for elections on Monday.(With inputs from Prasad Joshi)
