Supreme Court Greenlights Maharashtra Local Body Polls with 27% OBC Quota, CM Devendra Fadnavis Welcomes Verdict
Mumbai, 5th August 2025: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has welcomed the Supreme Court’s nod for conducting local and civic body elections with 27 per cent reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs), calling it a crucial development that clears the path for long-pending polls across the state.
The apex court upheld its earlier May 6 ruling, affirming that elections must be conducted with the 27% OBC quota under the 2017 ward structure—not the revised 2022 layout. Reacting to the verdict, Fadnavis said both of the state government’s demands had been upheld, allowing elections for municipal corporations, municipal councils, Zilla Parishads, and other local bodies to finally proceed.
“The Supreme Court has once again clarified that the OBC reservation stands and elections will be held based on the 2017 ward structure. This aligns with the state’s position and removes all obstacles to holding these elections,” the Chief Minister stated.
NCP leader and Samata Parishad founder Chhagan Bhujbal echoed similar sentiments, confirming that the upcoming elections will take place under the new ward configuration with the mandated OBC reservation. He also noted that the Supreme Court has reiterated the state government’s authority over ward composition, reinforcing the legal validity of recent legislative changes.
“There is no stay on the law passed regarding ward formation. With today’s verdict, elections will be held with the 27% OBC quota and the new ward structure,” Bhujbal said.
While welcoming the ruling, NCP (SP) legislator Jitendra Awhad criticized the ruling MahaYuti alliance, accusing it of delaying elections for three years due to political motives.
Local body elections in Maharashtra have been stalled since 2022 amid legal battles over OBC reservation and the validity of the Banthia Committee report, which had compiled empirical data on the OBC population. In August 2022, the Supreme Court had ordered a status quo on the matter, freezing election plans.
With the apex court now reaffirming its stance, the state government is expected to expedite the election process for urban and rural local bodies under the newly sanctioned framework.
