Mumbai: The Maharashtra Cabinet on Tuesday approved an ordinance amending the Maharashtra Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti Act, 1961, making the decision of the Returning Officer on nomination papers final and not open to legal challenge.
The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The move aims to ensure that elections to Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis are conducted within the stipulated timeframe, as prolonged legal proceedings have frequently delayed the electoral process.
Under the existing provision of Section 14(2) of the Act, candidates whose nomination papers were accepted or rejected could file appeals in district courts. However, such appeals often remained pending for long periods across various districts, resulting in significant delays in holding local body elections.
To address this issue, the State Election Commission had proposed the removal of the appeal provision. Acting on this recommendation, the Cabinet approved the promulgation of the Maharashtra Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025. The ordinance empowers the state government to frame rules related to these elections and declares the Returning Officer’s decision on nomination papers as final.
Meanwhile, opposition parties and several social organisations have expressed concern over the amendment. They have alleged that the ruling party could potentially misuse the provision to reject the nomination papers of strong opposition candidates, thereby affecting the fairness of the electoral process.
The ordinance is expected to be placed before the legislature for approval in the coming session.
Bureau Report
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