The Election Commission of India on Friday decided to hold elections for the Maharashtra Legislative Council on May 21, ending the current uncertainty in the state.
This came a day after Maharashtra governor BS Koshyari requested the Election Commission to hold elections in the state.
A statement from Raj Bhavan said that Koshyari requested the ECI to declare elections to the nine vacant seats of the Maharashtra Legislative Council “at the earliest”.
The governor made the request to the EC to fill the nine seats that have been lying vacant since April 24, with a view to end the current uncertainty in the State.
Since Maharashtra CM is not a member of either house of the State Legislature, he needs to get elected to the the Council before May 27, 2020, the statement said.
The Election Commission had withheld the election process for these nine seats due to the coronavirus crisis.
Thackeray was sworn in as chief minister on November 28 last year. He has to be a member of the upper house by May 28 or else he will cease to be the chief minister of Maharashtra.
