Pune, 7th August 2025: In a significant decision impacting local body elections in Pune and other parts of Maharashtra, the Supreme Court has upheld the authority of the state government to restructure municipal wards and include 27% reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs). The verdict clears the decks for long-delayed civic polls in the state.
The bench of Justice Suryakant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi dismissed two petitions, one opposing OBC reservation and another seeking elections based on the older 2022 ward structure. The court made it clear that decisions regarding the formation of wards fall under the jurisdiction of the state government, and therefore, the judiciary cannot interfere.
This ruling comes after a petition filed from Ausa in Latur district, which asked for the elections to be conducted using the earlier ward formation announced before March 11, 2022. However, the court firmly rejected this, confirming that elections will be held as per the new structure based on 2017 guidelines.
On the OBC reservation matter, the court dismissed objections to the 27% quota. Last month, the Supreme Court had already directed the state to conduct elections within four months, maintaining the pre-2022 reservation policy. The Banthia Commission, which submitted its report in 2022, had supported the continuation of the 27% reservation for OBCs in local self-government institutions.
Politically, the decision is expected to provide an edge to the BJP, especially in cities like Pune where ward restructuring is likely to work in their favor. On the other hand, it may be seen as a setback for Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance.
With this clarity from the court, the stage is now set for civic elections in Pune and other municipal corporations across Maharashtra.