The government reiterates its promise to stop the delimitation process for the BMC elections

On Tuesday, the Maharashtra government reiterated its promise to the Bombay High Court that it will delay beginning the delineation process for the elections for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) until January 5. Two petitions filed by two former council members, Raju Pednekar and Sameer Desai, are currently being heard by the High Court. They are contesting an ordinance that the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government issued on August 8 that reversed the decision of the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government to move forward with the delimitation of BMC wards.

 

Two petitions filed by two former council members, Raju Pednekar and Sameer Desai, are currently being heard by the High Court. They are contesting an ordinance that the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government issued on August 8 that reversed the decision of the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government to move forward with the delimitation of BMC wards. The state administration promised on November 30 that it wouldn't start the delimitation procedure for the BMC until the court heard an appeal on December 20.

 

The government informed a division bench of Justices Nitin Jamdar and Gauri Godse on Tuesday that its promise would now be valid till January 5. He requested the government's decision be overturned on the grounds that it violated the Constitution. He asked for the decision to be suspended while his plea was being heard.  Additionally, he urged that the State Election Commission (SEC) conduct the BMC elections based on the earlier delimitation carried out in accordance with the decisions issued by the Supreme Court on May 4 and July 20. His argument was that the HC had rejected appeals challenging the MVA government's delimitation initiative and expansion of the BMC wards to 236 in February. The SEC then published a final notification in the official gazette following this.

 

 

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