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Maharashtra

SC verdict: Maharashtra to conduct local bodies polls with OBC quotas

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With the Supreme Court’s nod to the J.K. Banthia Commission Report on political reservations for Other Backward Class, Maharashtra has set the ball rolling to conduct the delayed elections to various local bodies in the state.

In what will be a sort of ‘mini-general election’, the Maharashtra State Election Commission (SEC) sources said it will go ahead with the programme for the polls in 367 local bodies wherever due.

There are a total of 23 Municipal Corporations, 220 Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats, 25 Zilla Parishads and 284 Panchayat Samitis across the state.

The development came after Supreme Court accepted the J.K. Banthia Commission Report recommending 27 per cent reservations overall, with the SEC likely to declare the local bodies election schedule within two weeks, as directed by the apex court on Wednesday.

The panel headed by a former state chief secretary, was set up by the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in March 2022, to collate the empirical data of the OBC communities scattered around the state, with plans to hold a caste-based Census before the government collapsed on June 29.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar, Nationalist Congress Party leaders like Jayant Patil, Chhagan Bhujbal, Dhananjay Munde, Congress’ Nana Patole, Vijay Wadettivar and Atul Londhe, Bharatiya Janata Party’s Chandrakant Patil and Pankaja Munde, among many others from different parties and OBC leaders have welcomed the Supreme Court verdict.

The Banthia Commission had submitted its report to the state government on July 7, recommending reservations for OBC peoples’ representatives to work in major positions in Panchayat Samitis, Zilla Parishads, Nagar Panchayats, Municipal Councils and Municipal Corporations in the state.

The state government moved an application in the Supreme Court seeking for directions to hold the local bodies elections under the relevant laws and notifying a reservation pattern as per the Banthia Commission report of July 7.

As per the last Maharashtra Economic Survey (2021-2022), the state has 27,831 Gram Panchayats, 351 Panchayat Samitis, 34 Zilla Parishads, 128 Nagar Panchayats, 241 Municipal Councils and 27 Municipal Corporations as the local bodies.

With the implementation of the 27 per cent OBC political quotas, the top posts like Mayor in Municipal Corporations, heads in municipal councils, chairpersons in Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samitis will be given to peoples’ representatives from the OBCs.

There are 295 OBCs including various tribals and special backward category communities who are likely to get the fruits of the new political reservations, though it will not apply to certain districts where the SC/ST population is already 50 per cent.

In Maharashtra, based on the Census data and the voters lists, an estimated 37 per cent of the population falls under the OBCs, as per the Banthia Commission Report, though its percentage varies from one region to another.

Maharashtra

Demanding to convene a joint meeting regarding preparations for Eid-ul-Adha, MLA Abu Asim Azmi sends a letter to Devendra Fadnavis

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Mumbai: Ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, Samajwadi Party leader and MLA Abu Asim Azmi has met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and demanded a joint meeting regarding the preparations for Eid-ul-Azha. He presented a formal letter to the Chief Minister at the Secretariat, requesting him to immediately convene an important meeting to review the state-level preparations. Drawing the Chief Minister’s attention, MLA Azmi informed him that Eid-ul-Azha will be celebrated on May 27, 2026. He stressed the need to make timely and robust administrative arrangements as Eid-ul-Azha is approaching. He requested the Chief Minister to invite the relevant administrative authorities, religious leaders and religious organizations to resolve the issues related to Eid-ul-Adha and after listening to the problems faced by Muslims during Eid-ul-Adha, issue instructions to the administration to take necessary action in this regard. This meeting should be held soon under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister so that Muslims do not face any kind of difficulty during Eid-ul-Adha.

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Maharashtra

Survey of cleanliness work in the western suburbs of Mumbai… Continuous cleaning of roads is essential, Additional Municipal Commissioner directs

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The common citizens of Mumbai should take up the task of cleanliness so that they find the roads and streets clean after leaving their homes. There should be continuity in daily work to promote awareness regarding cleanliness and to create an effective image of the administration. Additional Municipal Commissioner (Western Suburbs) Dr. Vipin Sharma said that the cleaning of public roads and streets in Mumbai should be started as per the rules and on time. Additional Municipal Commissioner (Western Suburbs) Dr. Vipin Sharma personally visited the area this morning. The inspection visit included cleaning of Karar Nallah, Saptarshi Nallah, Shivaji Chowk Nallah in Malad (East) in P-East section, Piramal Nallah in Malad (West) in P-South section, Oshiwara River, Ramchandra Nallah in Malad (West) in P-West section, Ponla Hans, West Nallah, Ponla Hans section in P-West section. Although there is still time for the onset of monsoon, the Municipal Corporation is busy in preparations for the onset of monsoon. It should be ensured that the cleaning of drains is completed by May 31, 2026 in any case. Also, the garbage and sludge floating in the drains should be removed immediately. In this work, in coordination with the local public representatives, they should be informed about the cleaning of drains from time to time, Dr. Sharma directed the officers of the Municipal Corporation.

Chairman of ‘P East’ and ‘P West’ Divisional Committee Haider Ali Aslam Sheikh, Local Corporator Tejinder Singh Tiwana, Local Corporator Siddharth Sharma, Deputy Commissioner (Zone 4) Dr. Bhagya Sri Kapse, Assistant Commissioner (P East) Rupali Sarmalkar, Assistant Commissioner (P North) Kundan Valvi, Assistant Commissioner (P South) Aniruddha Kulkarni, Assistant Commissioner (K ​​West) Shri Chakrapani Ale and other concerned officers were present on the occasion.

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Maharashtra

Mumbai: A case of sexual exploitation under the pretext of marriage has been registered against social media influencer Anwar Khan.

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Mumbai: A case has been registered against social media influencer Anwar Khan in Mumbai under the rape, assault and IT Act. He sexually abused the victim on the pretext of marriage. He sexually abused and cheated on the victim several times in Mumbai, Nagpur and UP from 2021 to 2026 but later refused to marry and also forced the victim to have an abortion. The police registered a case in this case on April 8. An FIR has been registered against social media influencer Anwar Khan, who is known for showcasing his lavish lifestyle online. The Sahar police station has registered an FIR No. 324 of 2026 under Section 67-A of the IT Act as well as Sections 89, 69, 115(2), 351(2) of the Bharatiya Naya Samhita, 2023. The complainant has alleged physical abuse, harassment and forcible sexual assault at multiple places. In a disturbing claim, she says she was threatened at gunpoint and given death threats. An FIR was registered as the accused is currently absconding, no arrests have been made yet. The police are investigating the matter further.

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