Part V, Ext. No. 2, L. A. BILL No. II OF 2026 A Bill further to the Maharashtra Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis Act, 1961. Tuesday, 24th February 2026.

RNI No. MAHBIL /2009/40123 महाारााष्ट्रट शाासन रााजपत्र असाधााराण भााग पाच–अ वर्षष १२, अंक १(२)] मंगळवारा, फेेब्रुुवाराी २४, २०२६/फेाल्गुन ५, शाके १९४७ [पष्ृठे े३, किंकमं त : रुपये े३६.०० असाधााराण क्रमांक २ प्रााकिंधाकृत प्राकाशान महाारााष्ट्र किंवधाानसभाेत व महाारााष्ट्र किंवधाानपरिरार्षदेेत सादेरा केलेेलेी किंवधाेयेके (इंंग्रजी अनुवादे).

MAHARASHTRA LEGISLATURE SECRETARIAT The following Bill was introduced in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on the 24th February, 2026 is published under Rule 117 of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly

Rules :— L. A. BILL No. II OF 2026.

A BILL further to amend the Maharashtra Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis Act, 1961.

WHEREAS both houses of the State Legislature were not in session ;

AND WHEREAS the Governor of Maharashtra was satisfied that circumstances existed which rendered it necessary for him to take Mah. V immediate action further to amend the Maharashtra Zilla Parishads and of Panchayat Samitis Act, 1961, for the purposes hereinafter appearing ; and,

1962.

Mah. therefore, promulgated the Maharashtra Zilla Parishads and Pancahyat Samitis Ord. (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025 on the 26th December 2025 ;

XIV of

2025. भााग पााच-अ—२-१2 महाारााष्ट्रट शाासन रााजपत्र असाधााराण भााग पाच–अ, फेेब्रुुवाराी २४, २०२६/फेाल्गुन ५, शाके १९४७

AND WHEREAS it is expedient to replace the said Ordinance by an Act of the State Legislature ; it is hereby enacted in the Seventy-seventh Year of

the Republic of India as follows :– Short title and 1. (1) This Act may be called the Maharashtra Zilla Parishads and commencement. Panchayat Samitis (Amendment) Act, 2026.

(2) It shall be deemed to have come into force on the 26th December 2025.

Amendment 2. In section 14 of the Maharashtra Zilla Parishads and Panchayat of section 14 Samitis Act, 1961, (hereinafter referred to as “the principal Act”), for sub-section of Mah. V of

(2), the following sub-sections shall be substituted, namely :–

1962. “(2) The State Government shall make rules for the conduct of such elections and the election shall be conducted in accordance with those rules.

(3) The decision of a Returning Officer accepting or rejecting the nomination papers shall be final and it shall not be called in question in any Court.”.

Repeal of 3. (1) The Maharashtra Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis Mah.

Mah. Ord. Ord.

(Amendment) Ordinance, 2025, is hereby repealed.

XIV of 2025 XIV of and saving. (2) Notwithstanding such repeal, anything done or any action taken 2025. (including any notification, rules or order issued) under the corresponding provisions of the principal Act, as amended by the said Ordinance, shall be deemed to have been done, taken or, as the case may be, issued under the corresponding provisions of the principal Act, as amended by this Act.महाारााष्ट्रट शाासन रााजपत्र असाधााराण भााग पाच–अ, फेेब्रुुवाराी २४, २०२६/फेाल्गुन ५, शाके १९४७ 3 STATEMENT OF OBJECTS AND REASONS Article 243K of the Constitution of India and section 9A of the Maharashtra Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis Act, 1961 (Mah. V of 1962) provides that, the superintendence, direction and control of the preparation of electoral rolls for, and the conduct of, all elections to the Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis shall be vested in the State Election Commission.

2. Section 14(2) of the said Act provides that, the State Government shall make rules for the conduct of such elections including for an appeal to the District Court against the decision of Returning Officer, accepting or rejecting nomination papers. Accordingly, rule 20 of the Maharashtra Zilla Parishads (Electoral Divisions and Conduct of Election) Rules, 1962 and rule 19A of the Maharashtra Panchayat Samitis (Electoral Colleges and Conduct of Election) Rules, 1962

provided for filing of an appeal before the District Court against the decision of the Returning Officer of accepting or rejecting nomination papers and District Court is required to hear such appeals on day to day basis and dispose off the same as expeditiously as possible.

3. The State Election Commission had communicated to the State Government that such appeals remain pending in different District Courts for different period and it is also not certain when such appeals will be disposed off. The Commission had also communicated that article 243O of the Constitution provides for bar to interference by Courts in electoral matters. Therefore, the Commission has with a view to complete elections in time bound manner forwarded to the State Government a proposal to make suitable amendments in abovereferred Rules for deleting the provisions relating to such appeals. It was, therefore, considered expedient to amend section 14 of the said Act, suitably.

4. As both Houses of the State Legislature were not in session and the Governor of Maharashtra was satisfied that circumstances existed which rendered it necessary for him to take immediate action further to amend the Maharashtra Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis Act, 1961, for the purposes aforesaid, the Maharashtra Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025 (Mah. Ord. XIV of 2025), was promulgated by the Governor of Maharashtra on the 26th December 2025.

5. The Bill is intended to replace the said Ordinance by an Act of the State Legislature.

Mumbai, JAYKUMAR GORE, Dated the 17th February, 2026. Minister for Rural Development.

Vidhan Bhavan : JITENDRA BHOLE, Mumbai, Secretary-1,

Dated : 24th February, 2026. Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.

ON BEHALF OF GOVERNMENT PRINTING, STATIONERY AND PUBLICATION, PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY DIRECTOR, RUPENDRA DINESH MORE, PRINTED AT GOVERNMENT CENTRAL PRESS, 21-A, NETAJI SUBHASH ROAD, CHARNI ROAD, MUMBAI 400 004 AND PUBLISHED AT DIRECTORATE OF GOVERNMENT PRINTING, STATIONERY AND PUBLICATIONS, 21-A, NETAJI SUBHASH ROAD, CHARNI ROAD, MUMBAI 400 004. EDITOR : DIRECTOR, RUPENDRA DINESH MORE.