18 May,2026 11:57 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
The ECI said the Model Code of Conduct has come into immediate effect. Pic/ X
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday announced biennial elections to the Maharashtra Legislative Council (MLC) from 17 Local Authorities' Constituencies across the state, along with a by-election for the Nagpur Local Authorities' Constituency.
The polling is scheduled on June 18, and the counting of votes will be conducted on June 22.
According to the press note, the ECI has announced a tight schedule for the electoral process, which is set to conclude by late June.
The notification will be issued on May 25, nominations can be filed till June 1, scrutiny will take place on June 2, and the last date for withdrawal of nominations is June 4.
Solapur: Prashant Prabhakar Paricharak (Retired January 1, 2022)
Ahmednagar: Arunkaka Babhimrao Jagtap (Retired January 1, 2022)
Thane: Phatak Ravindra Sadanand (Retired June 8, 2022)
Jalgaon: Chandubhai V. Patel (Retired December 5, 2022)
Sangli-cum-Satara: Kadam Mohanrao Shripati (Retired December 5, 2022)
Nanded: Amarnath Anantrao Rajurkar (Retired December 5, 2022)
Yavatmal: Dushyant Satish Chaturvedi (Retired December 5, 2022)
Pune: Anil Shivajirao Bhosale (Retired December 5, 2022)
Bhandara-cum-Gondia: Dr. Parinay Ramesh Fuke (Retired December 5, 2022)
Raigad-cum-Ratnagiri-cum-Sindhudurg: Aniket Sunil Tatkare (Retired May 31, 2024)
Nashik: Narendra Bhikaji Darade (Retired June 21, 2024)
Wardha-cum-Chandrapur-cum-Gadchiroli: Ramdas Bhagwanji Ambatkar (Retired June 21, 2024)
Amravati: Pravin Ramchandra Pote (Retired June 21, 2024)
Osmanabad-cum-Latur-cum-Beed: Dhas Suresh Ramchandra (Retired June 21, 2024)
Parbhani-cum-Hingoli: Viplove Gopikishan Bajoria (Retired June 21, 2024)
Aurangabad-cum-Jalna: Ambadas Eknathrao Danve (Retired August 29, 2025)
For the 17th seat from the Nagpur Local Authorities' Constituency, which fell vacant on November 23, 2024, after BJP legislator Chandrashekhar Bawankule resigned, polling will also be held on June 18.
Bawankule, originally scheduled to serve until January 1, 2028, vacated the seat after contesting and winning the Kamthi Assembly constituency in the state elections.
The upcoming elections will fill vacancies that have been piling up since 2022.
As per ECI guidelines, elections to a Local Authorities' constituency can be held only if at least 75 per cent of the local bodies in that constituency are functional and at least 75 per cent of the electors in those bodies are in place.
However, due to the expiry of terms and prolonged delays in holding local body elections in Maharashtra, including municipal corporations, municipal councils and zilla parishads, these conditions were not met for several years, leaving representation from these constituencies suspended.
The situation has now improved. The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Maharashtra has recently informed the Election Commission that the required 75 per cent threshold of functional local bodies and electors has now been achieved across all 17 affected constituencies, enabling the resumption of elections.
These seats have remained vacant for different durations, with some having fallen vacant as early as January 2022.
According to the election programme released by the Commission:
Issue of notification: May 25, 2026 (Monday)
Last date for making nominations: June 1, 2026 (Monday)
Scrutiny of nominations: June 2, 2026 (Tuesday)
Last date for withdrawal of candidature: June 4, 2026 (Thursday)
Date of poll: June 18, 2026 (Thursday)
Polling hours: 8 am to 4 pm
Counting of votes: June 22, 2026 (Monday)
Election process to be completed by: June 25, 2026 (Thursday)
The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) for the biennial elections has come into force immediately across all concerned constituencies.
Political parties and sitting representatives in these areas must strictly follow the ECI's guidelines, which bar new policy announcements, administrative transfers, and major government advertisements in the polling zones until the election process concludes on June 25.
