Mumbai: The Supreme Court has directed that long-pending civic polls in Maharashtra must be completed by January 31, 2026, clearing the legal roadblocks that delayed elections for over three years.
The polls, covering 20 municipal corporations including Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Nagpur, and Nashik, as well as 33 zilla parishads, had been stalled due to disputes over caste-based reservations.
The ruling comes at a time when caste and community polarisation is at its peak in Maharashtra. The war of words between Maratha quota leader Manoj Jarange Patil and OBC leader Laxman Hake has sparked protests, road blockades, and disruptions across Marathwada and western Maharashtra.
Observers note that the state’s politics is increasingly divided along caste lines, with the Opposition amplifying demands for caste-based census and Maratha reservation, while the ruling alliance is accused of fueling religious polarisation.
Leaders from the Maratha community argue that their youth are being deprived of government jobs and educational opportunities due to the existing OBC quota benefits, fueling widespread resentment and mass agitations.
Meanwhile, heavy monsoon rains and crop losses in Marathwada have added to public distress, but political discourse remains dominated by the reservation issue.
With elections now imminent, analysts expect candidate selection and campaign strategies to be dictated largely by caste equations, making the upcoming civic polls one of the most socially charged contests in Maharashtra’s history.
