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Poll for 367 local bodies in Maharashtra sans OBC reservation, contempt if orders breached: SC

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The Supreme Court on Thursday pulled up the Maharashtra State Election Commission (SEC) for re-scheduling the poll for 367 local bodies to grant OBC reservation, and also cautioned its chief and other officials of contempt of court, if its orders are breached.

A bench, headed by Justice A.M. Khanwilkar, said the poll schedule was already notified when it allowed OBC reservation and the polls for those bodies must be held without the OBC reservation.

It said the SEC cannot interfere with the election, which has already been notified and only the dates can be re-aligned.

The bench, also comprising Justices Abhay S. Oka and J.B. Pardiwala, did not appreciate that despite clarifying the issue several times, the SEC had taken a decision to re-schedule the poll. The bench made it clear that the SEC and the officials concerned would be liable for contempt of court for breaching its order.

“This is not acceptable. You (SEC) are trying to misread our order for your convenience and maybe under dictation of someone… Do you want us to issue contempt notice?….”

The bench said the election for 367 local bodies were to be notified according to the May order, and this position had been re-stated in multiple orders. The top court was informed that as per SEC affidavit, the election was deferred for two municipalities.

It said the SEC cannot interfere with the election that has already been notified, and directed that SEC cannot re-notify the election programme to these 367 local bodies.

On July 20, the Supreme Court accepted the recommendations of the Banthia commission to apply 27 per cent OBC reservations in local body elections in Maharashtra, and directed that election for local bodies in the state be notified in the next two weeks.

In December last year, the top court had directed that reservation for OBCs in local bodies will not be permitted unless they fulfil the triple test, and until the triple test is fulfilled, the OBC seats would be re-notified as general category seats.

The Supreme Court, in its order in March last year, while reading down the OBC reservation in local bodies, asked the Maharashtra government to comply with three conditions – to set up a dedicated commission for collecting empirical data on the OBC population, specify the proportion of reservation, and ensuring cumulative share of reserved seats doesn’t breach 50 per cent of total seats.

Maharashtra

Maharashtra: MNS Workers Assault Attendant At Nanded Bus Stand For Refusing To Speak Marathi

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Nanded: In another instance of vigilantism over language, workers of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) allegedly assaulted a Hindi-speaking migrant worker at the state transport bus stand in Nanded on Wednesday. The attendant, posted outside the ladies’ toilet, was reportedly targeted for refusing to speak in Marathi when questioned by a local.

The incident came to light after multiple videos surfaced on social media. In one clip, a man is seen confronting the attendant for collecting Rs 5 from women for using the toilet, which is generally free. When asked to respond in Marathi, the attendant allegedly said, “I will not speak Marathi, do what you want to do.” The video was reportedly circulated among local MNS workers, including the party’s Nanded city chief.

Video Shows MNS Workers Assaulting Man

Soon after, another video showed a group of men wearing MNS scarves slapping and punching the attendant. They are heard berating him not only for refusing to speak Marathi but also accusing him of misbehaving with women and being rude.

Under pressure, the man was made to deliver a forced apology on camera, stating in Marathi: “I apologise to Marathi people and to Raj Thackeray. I will not repeat this mistake again.” Despite the videos going viral, no formal FIR had been registered till Wednesday evening.

Growing Incidents Of Violence Involving MNS Workers

This episode adds to a growing list of similar incidents involving MNS workers taking offense over language. Just earlier this month, MNS cadres had allegedly assaulted shopkeepers in Mira Road, Thane and Vikhroli for not speaking Marathi. The party has long positioned itself as a protector of Marathi identity, often using aggressive means.

Party chief Raj Thackeray had previously said he was “proud” of MNS workers for “defending Marathi pride,” while Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had condemned such vigilantism. “No one has the right to assault someone for not speaking a particular language,” Fadnavis had said.

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Maharashtra

Supreme Court Stays Bombay High Court’s Acquittal in 2006 Mumbai Train Blasts Case

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New Delhi, July 24, 2025 — The Supreme Court of India has issued a stay on the Bombay High Court’s recent decision to acquit 12 men previously convicted in the 2006 Mumbai suburban train bombings. The apex court, however, clarified that the accused will not need to return to jail while the legal process continues.

The move comes days after the Maharashtra government filed a challenge against the High Court’s ruling, expressing serious concern over the acquittal of all 12 individuals who had been found guilty nearly a decade earlier. The Supreme Court agreed to examine the appeal and put the acquittal order on hold until further notice.

Background of the Case

On July 11, 2006, a series of coordinated bomb blasts targeted local trains on Mumbai’s Western Railway line during evening rush hour. The attacks resulted in the deaths of around 190 people and left over 800 injured. It was one of the deadliest terror strikes in India’s history.

In 2015, a special court convicted 12 men under anti-terror laws, sentencing five to death and the remaining to life imprisonment. However, the Bombay High Court overturned these convictions in July 2025, citing weak and unreliable evidence, inconsistencies in witness testimonies, and procedural lapses in the investigation.

Supreme Court’s Intervention

Responding to the state’s petition, the Supreme Court noted the seriousness of the matter and temporarily suspended the High Court’s decision. The court stated that although the acquittal order is stayed, the accused who had already been released will not be required to surrender at this stage.

Government’s Stand

The Maharashtra government described the High Court’s judgment as deeply concerning, arguing that the earlier trial had followed due process and that crucial evidence—such as confessions and material recovered—was improperly dismissed. The government urged the Supreme Court to uphold the original convictions in the interest of justice for the victims and their families.

What Lies Ahead

The Supreme Court is expected to conduct a detailed review of the High Court’s findings and the prosecution’s evidence. The final verdict could have a significant impact on how terrorism-related cases are investigated and prosecuted in the future, especially with respect to the handling of confessional statements, forensic evidence, and procedural safeguards.

The case continues to be a matter of national attention due to its historical gravity and implications for the justice system. Families of the victims, legal experts, and civil rights advocates are all watching closely as the country’s top court re-evaluates one of India’s most complex terror cases.

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Maharashtra

Maharashtra Govt Targets 50 Lakh Homes In 10 Years Under New Housing Policy 2025, Aims For Slum-Free State

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Mumbai: The Maharashtra government introduced the Housing Policy 2025 on Wednesday, a comprehensive plan expected to mobilise investments worth Rs 70,000 crore.

The policy outlines a multi-pronged strategy focusing on slum rehabilitation, affordable housing, and sustainable urban development, with special emphasis on economically weaker sections (EWS), lower-income groups (LIG), and middle-income groups (MIG).

The government has set an ambitious target to construct 35 lakh houses over the next five years, with a long-term vision of delivering 50 lakh homes within a decade. To facilitate this, the MahaAwas Fund will be significantly expanded to Rs 20,000 crore.

“The ultimate target is to build 50 lakh houses in the next 10 years… To achieve this ambitious target, existing provisions under the Development Control and Promotion Regulations/Unified Development Control and Promotion Regulations and relevant institutional frameworks will be strengthened and modified as needed. Additionally, active participation from the private sector will be promoted through a range of incentive-based measures,” the policy stated.

A key focus of the policy is transforming Maharashtra into a slum-free state through large-scale rehabilitation and redevelopment projects. The policy prioritises the needs of low-income earners, senior citizens, women, industrial workers, and students.

Affordable housing has been granted infrastructure status, enabling developers to access external commercial borrowing (ECB) and foreign direct investment (FDI). It also qualifies for priority sector lending (PSL) from banks and housing finance companies (HFCs).

The policy advocates for the redevelopment of old buildings to enhance living conditions and optimise land use. It also promotes the development of integrated townships that combine affordable housing with essential services.

“The state-level portal will soon be developed for providing information on housing development through government-private sector partnership, through developers and also through state-run undertakings,” the policy noted.

Recognising diverse housing needs, the policy includes provisions for industrial workers, senior citizens, working women, students, project-affected persons (PAPs), and migrant workers. A notable feature is the ‘Walk to Work’ concept, which reserves 10% to 30% of land in Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) areas for housing.

“Such land should be handed over to the appropriate authority at the applicable acquisition price, so that authority can create adequate housing stock in such areas. The authority can also partner with private industries to provide housing for industrial workers in a public-private partnership model,” the policy explained.

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