14 May,2024 07:33 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Representational Pic/File
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday postponed the June 10 biennial elections for four Legislative Council seats in Maharashtra, reported the PTI.
According to the PTI, 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 official 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.
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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, as per the PTI.
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.
Meanwhile, the Lok Sabha elections 2024 in the country area underway. The polls for general elections area being held in seven phases and voting for four phases in the country has been completed so far.
In Maharashtra the voting for Lok Sabha elections is being held in five different phases--- April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13 and May 20 and the counting of votes will be held on June 4.
The next and the fifth phase of the polls is scheduled for May 20.
The fifth and final phase of voting will take place on May 20, 2024, encompassing 13 constituencies, including Washim, Dindori, Nashik, Palghar, Bhiwandi, Welfare, Thane, Mumbai North, Mumbai North West, Mumbai North East, Mumbai North Central, Mumbai South Central, and Mumbai South.
(with PTI inputs)
