Supreme Court Upholds High Court Order: Maharashtra Civic Poll Results to be Declared After December 20 Voting
In a significant ruling, the Supreme Court has upheld the Bombay High Court's order regarding the declaration of results for the Maharashtra civic polls. This decision paves the way for the results to be announced immediately after the second phase of voting concludes on December 20, 2025. The ruling effectively dismisses any further delays in the electoral process.
The Bombay High Court's initial intervention came in response to petitions challenging the State Election Commission's (SEC) decision to declare results of the first phase of municipal council, nagar parishad, and nagar panchayat elections, which were held on December 2, separately. The SEC had initially planned to announce these results on December 3. However, the High Court's Nagpur bench, presided over by Justices Anil Kilor and Rajnish Vyas, ruled that announcing the first phase results prematurely could unfairly influence the second phase of voting, scheduled for December 20. The court emphasized the importance of ensuring electoral fairness and transparency.
The High Court's order mandated that all results be declared together on December 21, 2025. The court also prohibited the publication or broadcast of any exit poll results until after the conclusion of voting on December 20. Furthermore, the Model Code of Conduct will remain in effect until the combined results are declared.
Several petitions were filed challenging the SEC's decision to defer elections in certain civic bodies where appeals were pending regarding the acceptance or rejection of nomination papers. Petitioners argued that the revised schedule had disrupted the uniformity of the electoral process and risked creating an uneven playing field for candidates. They contended that announcing results in phases would give an undue advantage to candidates contesting in the remaining wards. The petitioners also asserted that phased declarations would violate the fundamental principle of free and fair elections.
The High Court bench agreed with the petitioners' concerns, stating that declaring the first phase results within 24 hours would compromise electoral fairness and could materially affect the results of the polls on December 20. The court noted that elections on December 20 must be held in a fair and transparent manner.
The Supreme Court's decision to uphold the High Court's order has been met with mixed reactions. While some political parties have expressed concerns over the delay in announcing the results, others have welcomed the decision as a step towards ensuring a level playing field for all candidates. The SEC has stated that it will comply with the court's order and make the necessary arrangements for the declaration of results on December 21.
With the Supreme Court's ruling, all eyes are now on the upcoming second phase of voting on December 20, after which the results for all municipal councils, nagar parishads, and nagar panchayats across Maharashtra will be declared.
