In a significant push for restoring grassroots democracy, the Supreme Court on Monday directed the Maharashtra State Election Commission (SEC) to notify local body elections within four weeks and complete the entire process within four months.

A bench headed by Justice Surya Kant, in its interim order, emphasised the constitutional requirement for timely elections to local bodies. “In our considered opinion, the constitutional mandate of grassroots democracy through periodical elections of the local bodies ought to be respected and ensured,” the bench noted.

The Court observed that local body elections in Maharashtra have remained stalled for years, primarily due to ongoing legal disputes concerning Other Backward Classes (OBC) reservation.

Acknowledging the prolonged delay and the importance of democratic functioning at the local level, the apex court has now made it clear that the electoral process must proceed despite pending issues, ensuring that the governance of municipal corporations and panchayats does not remain in the hands of unelected administrators any longer.