EC grants permission for MLC elections in Maharashtra

New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday, 1 May, granted permission for holding elections to the Legislative Council (MLCs) in Maharashtra on 21 May, which will pave way for CM Uddhav Thackeray to become a member of the Legislative Council.

The necessary guidelines will need to be ensured for safety against COVID-19 during the elections, the EC said.

Since Thackeray is not a member of either House of the State Legislature, he needs to get elected to the the Council before 27 May.

The EC announcement came just days after Thackeray reportedly spoke to PM Narendra Modi on phone and told him that attempts were being made to create political instability in the state.

Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on Thursday had requested the Election Commission to declare elections to the nine vacant seats of the Maharashtra Legislative Council “at the earliest.”

The governor had made the request to the Election Commission to fill the nine seats in the legislative council, that have been lying vacant from 24 April, with a view to end the current uncertainty in the State.

In his letter, the governor has stated that the central government has announced many relaxation measures regarding the enforcement of lockdown in the country. As such, the elections to the council seats can be held with certain guidelines, he said.

The Election Commission had withheld the election process for these nine seats following the Corona crisis.

Leaders of the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) had met Koshyari earlier this week with a fresh cabinet recommendation to nominate Thackeray to the Legislative Council through the governor's quota.