Key Points

However, the Thackeray camp in the party mouthpiece 'Saamana' has raised serious doubts whether "democracy" will be truly established in 29 Municipal Corporations including Mumbai, 32 Zilla Parishads and couple of hundred Nagar Panchayats and Nagar Parishads for over three-and-half-years due to the arbitrariness of the rulers.

"It is good that the apex court has broken the government's shackles on the local and civic body elections, but will 'democracy' be truly established in these institutions? Like the Assembly elections, there is a fear of vote rigging and tampering with voter lists in these civic and local body elections as well. What is the guarantee that it will not happen in the ensuing elections?

"Is there a conspiracy behind bringing 25,000 EVMs from Madhya Pradesh here, citing the shortage of EVMs? Whether the decision not to use VVPAT machines has been taken with this purpose (of procuring EVMs from Madhya Pradesh)?" asked the Thackeray camp.

It further argued that the administration is being carried out through the administrators appointed by the government and the "looting of local and civic bodies was going on through administrators during this period."

SS(UBT) claimed that for all these years elections were being deliberately delayed by giving reasons like ward composition, shortage of EVMs and school exams.

It stated that the final deadline set by the Supreme Court for completing the election process in these civic and local bodies by January 2026 is quite appropriate.

"The public should thank the judiciary for its decision as it has exposed the inaction and inefficiency of the State Election Commission.

"The main reason behind postponing the elections was the fear of defeat of the ruling alliance. The elections were being postponed by waiting for the right moment," said the editorial.

The Thackeray camp reiterated that there is no elected body in these civic and local bodies for over three-and-half years due to the arbitrariness of the ruling alliance.

According to the editorial, when the issue of these elections was raised, the ruling alliance would give some reasons by postponing the polls with new excuses.

Despite the apex court's order delivered in May to complete the election process by October 31 this year, the Fadnavis-Shinde group did not act and gave the excuse of formation of wards in these bodies.

The Thackeray camp took a dig at Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule for his statement that the State Election Commission will carry out the poll process as per the deadline given by the court and asked "with what face is he talking about the deadline when they were postponing these elections for over three-and-half years?"

- IANS