Relief For Uddhav Thackeray As Maharashtra Governor Writes To EC Seeking Polls For 9 Council Seats

Koshyari told the poll watchdog that since the Central government has now announced several relaxation in Coronavirus lockdown, elections to the council seats can take place with certain issued guidelines.

The governor made the request to the poll watchdog to fill the nine seats that have been lying vacant since April 24. (Image: PTI)

Mumbai: A day after Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray dialed Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the alleged attempts being made to create political instability in the state, Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on Thursday urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to declare elections to the nine vacant seats of the state’s Legislative Council. According to reports, a statement from Raj Bhavan was issued which stated that the Maharashtra Governor has requested the ECI to declare elections to the nine vacant seats of the stata Legislative Council "at the earliest". The governor made the request to the poll watchdog to fill the nine seats that have been lying vacant since April 24, with a view to end the current uncertainty in the State. Pointing out the urgency, Koshyari told the poll watchdog that since the Central government has now announced several relaxation in Coronavirus lockdown, elections to the council seats can take place with certain issued guidelines.

Revised Press Release 30.04.2020 pic.twitter.com/mw64xYgpO9

— Governor of Maharashtra (@maha_governor) April 30, 2020

"As such the elections to the Council seats can be held with certain guidelines," he said in the letter. Since Uddhav Thackeray 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 earlier withheld the election process for these nine seats due to the coronavirus crisis. According to a latest update by news agency ANI, a meeting of ECI in this regards is scheduled to take place on Friday. Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora is scheduled to join the meeting via video conferencing. Thackeray was sworn in as chief minister on November 28, 2019. He has to become a member of the House by May 28 when he completes six months in office. Otherwise he will cease to the chief minister. Thackeray, on Thursday, spoke to Modi on phone and told him that attempts were being made to create political instability in the state. The sources stated, "Political instability in a huge state like Maharashtra when it is facing the COVID-19 crisis is not right and Thackeray urged the PM to look into it." The telephone call came a day after leaders of the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) met Governor BS Koshyari with a fresh cabinet recommendation to nominate Thackeray to the Legislative Council through the governor's quota. The first recommendation of the state cabinet had been made on April 9. Over the past few days, there has been intense speculation that Thackeray may be compelled to resign if he didn't become a member of either House by May 28, possibly resulting in a huge constitutional deadlock.