27 October,2025 11:07 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
According to the SEC’s circular, municipal commissioners must begin the reservation process immediately and complete it within the prescribed schedule. Representational pic
The Maharashtra State Election Commission (SEC) has issued detailed directions to all municipal corporations in the state, excluding the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), to begin the process of determining and finalising ward-wise reservations for the 2025 local body elections.
The move follows the Supreme Court's orders dated May 6 and September 16, in Petition for Special Leave to Appeal (C) No 19756/2021, which made it mandatory to complete all local body elections in Maharashtra by January 31, 2026.
Under Section 5-A of the Maharashtra Municipal Corporations Act, 1949, the SEC has the authority to determine and approve reservations in civic bodies. In line with this, the State Urban Development Department, through a notification issued on May 20, 2025, introduced the Maharashtra Municipal Corporations (Method for Allocation and Rotation of Reserved Seats in Wards) Rules, 2025. The rules establish a four-member ward system and specify that the upcoming elections will be treated as the first cycle for the rotation of reserved seats.
Reservation process outlined
According to the SEC's circular, municipal commissioners must begin the reservation process immediately and complete it within the prescribed schedule. The key steps include:
Determination and approval: Each municipal corporation must determine the number of reserved seats for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs), and obtain the SEC's approval along with the necessary documentation.
Draw of lots: Once approval is granted, a public draw of lots must be conducted to assign the reserved seats to specific wards. The process should follow the procedure outlined in the Rules 2025 and the SEC's order dated October 24, ensuring transparency and wide publicity.
Public notification: Draft details of the proposed reservation must be published, inviting objections and suggestions from citizens within the stipulated period.
Consideration of objections: All received objections must be examined by the municipal commissioner, who will record decisions in the prescribed format. If any error is found in the allocation, it must be corrected with prior SEC approval.
Final notification: After disposal of objections, the final reservation notification must be published in the Maharashtra Government Gazette on the date fixed by the SEC, with a copy forwarded to the commission.
Uniform procedure and formats
To ensure consistency across the state, SEC has enclosed sample annexures (1 to 12) covering every stage of the process - from determining member strength and preparing draw records to publishing final notifications. The results of the draw of lots and related proceedings must be sent to the SEC for verification and approval.
Timeline and compliance
A fixed schedule, detailed in the accompanying Form-1, has been issued to all municipal corporations. Commissioners have been directed to complete each phase on time and finalise the reservations strictly within the prescribed deadline. The SEC has emphasised that all steps should be carried out in accordance with the 2025 Rules and with full transparency and public participation.
The circular was issued under the orders of the State Election Commissioner and signed by Suresh Kakani, Secretary, Maharashtra State Election Commission.
Copies have been sent to the Additional Chief Secretary (Urban Development Department), all municipal commissioners, and the Commission's legal counsel representing it before the Supreme Court and the Bombay High Court.
