Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, May 6: The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Maharashtra government and the State Election Commission (SEC) to conduct local body elections in the state, reserving seats for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) as per the structure that existed before the 2022 J.K. Banthia commission recommendations.

A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and N.K. Singh issued an interim order instructing the SEC to notify the elections within four weeks and complete the process within four months. The court clarified that if required, the SEC may seek additional time.

The elections, however, will remain subject to the final outcome of petitions challenging the validity of the Banthia Commission’s recommendations.

This comes after a 2022 Supreme Court ruling had accepted the Banthia panel's suggestion for 27% OBC reservations in local bodies, provided the state met the "triple test" requirement: an empirical data-based study, specification of the quota share, and ensuring the total reserved seats do not exceed 50%.

The court had previously halted the election process in August 2022, maintaining a status quo due to legal concerns over the implementation of the OBC quota.

The Maharashtra government had introduced the reservation via ordinance in 2021, citing the need for adequate political representation of OBC communities to ensure their voices are heard in governance.

The latest order revives the stalled election process while balancing the legal scrutiny over the OBC quota framework.