ECI defers Legislative Council polls in Maharashtra due to summer vacations

Mumbai: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday postponed the June 10 biennial elections for four Legislative Council seats in Maharashtra.

The new schedule for elections to fill seats of the Upper House of the state legislature falling vacant in the next few months will be announced later, said an EC statement.

The poll panel took the decision after receiving a representation from teachers requesting it to hold the elections after the summer vacations in schools are over.

Teachers of government recognised schools and graduates fulfilling certain criteria form the electoral college for these elections.

As per the representation, most teachers are out of their respective place of work due to the ongoing summer vacations, making it difficult for them to take part in voting.

On May 8, the ECI had announced schedule for elections for two seats each of the teachers and the graduates constituencies in the state, and fixed June 10 as the polling date.

After the announcement of the schedule, several organisations of teachers submitted a representation to the ECI seeking deferment of the polls. They requested the ECI to hold the elections after schools reopen post-summer vacations.

Maharashtra has a 78-member legislative council, of which seven MLCs each are to be elected by graduates and teachers. Upper House members have a 6-year term and elections are held every two years to fill the vacancy created by retirement of MLCs.