SEC defers some civic bodies' polls on election eve; Maharashtra CM Fadnavis hits out

Mumbai: Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis has expressed strong objections to the State Election Commission postponing the local body polls in a few civic bodies, voting for which was to take place on Tuesday. SEC announced on Sunday that these elections would be postponed to December 20. Incidentally, even some in the Opposition have seconded Fadnavis and slammed SEC.

"Cancelling the elections is an extremely wrong step by the EC. I don't know under which law the EC has done this. They have wrongly interpreted the law. According to several lawyers I spoke to, elections cannot be postponed like this just because some people have gone to court," Fadnavis said.

SEC has postponed elections in over 20 municipal councils and nagar panchayats over several issues, including candidates approaching courts for rejection of their nomination forms.


Stating that SEC has set a wrong precedent, Fadnavis said: "If this becomes the benchmark, then next time anyone can go to court and elections will be postponed. This has never happened before. I don't know whose legal opinion the EC has gone by... In the Nilanga civic polls, one of the candidates whose nomination was rejected approached court and the court upheld the decision and yet the elections have been postponed." He said postponing elections without any valid reason was 'unfair' to the candidates who had diligently followed all the rules and would have to campaign again.

Fadnavis said the EC was an autonomous body and it could take its own decisions, but added, "We will send our representation to the EC after the election process is over on this issue saying this was extremely wrong."

The Opposition joined with BJP on the issue, with Ambadas Danve of UBT Sena saying, "The stand taken by the chief minister is right. How can you decide to postpone elections a day before voting? We have objected to this even at the local level. Elections can only be postponed if there is any unnatural incident."

Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat also slammed SEC, but claimed SEC has done it at the behest of the ruling party. ET tried to get in touch with Suresh Kakani, secretary, SEC, but he did not respond.