Wed Dec 25 12:19:17 UTC 2024: ## Maharashtra Local Body Elections Planned for March-April 2025
**Nagpur, Maharashtra –** Maharashtra Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule announced Wednesday that pending local body elections, including those for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), will be held in March-April 2025, contingent on the Supreme Court’s decision on OBC reservations in early January. The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a case regarding the quota for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) during the first week of January. The State Election Commission will oversee the elections with full support from the state government. These elections were delayed due to a 2021 Supreme Court ruling requiring the state to fulfill a “triple test” before implementing OBC reservations in local bodies. This test involves establishing a dedicated commission to collect data on OBC backwardness, specifying reservation proportions, and ensuring total reserved seats (SC/ST/OBC) don’t exceed 50%.
Minister Bawankule also addressed concerns about alleged land grabs by the Waqf Board, stating that once the Waqf (Amendment) Bill passes Parliament, it will be implemented in Maharashtra to rectify any wrongdoings. He further reported progress on the SVAMITVA scheme, a drone survey initiative to provide e-property cards to rural landowners. E-property cards for 15,327 out of 30,515 villages are ready for distribution.
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