X: @the_news_21
Mumbai: Amidst all the commotion of the on-going 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced the poll schedule for the four vacancies to the Maharashtra Legislative Council (MLC), Graduates and Teachers constituencies. The elections to the Mumbai and Konkan Division Graduates constituencies and the Nashik and Mumbai Division Teachers constituencies will be held on June 10.
Besides the on-going Lok Sabha elections, the elections to the four Legislative Council seats will yet again prove to be a test of electoral support for the Shivsena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (SS-UBT) faction.
The four members whose term of membership of the upper house in the Maharashtra Legislative Council is to expire on July 7, include – Mumbai Division Graduates – Vilas Potnis (Shivsena UBT faction), Konkan Division Graduates – Niranjan Davkhare (BJP), Nashik Division Teachers – Kishore Bhikaji Darade (Shivsena UBT faction), Mumbai Division Teachers – Kapil Patil (Lokbharti Party).
Close to two years after splitting the Shivsena on June 21, 2022, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde faces yet another electoral test with the June 10 MLC polls. Two sitting members of the SS-UBT faction are among those whose seats are up for grabs.
The elections will serve as a test case for both the Shinde faction as well as the SS-UBT faction led by former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray as to who commands support amongst the Graduates and Teachers communities.
The electoral college for the Graduates and Teachers Division constituencies comprises all the registered voters who hold Graduate Degrees. Interestingly enough, the Teachers holding Graduate Degrees can also vote in Graduates Division constituencies. Graduates not holding B. Ed Degrees cannot vote in Teachers Division constituencies.
Elections to the Graduates Division constituencies are contested on the basis of party symbols. The elections to the Teachers Division constituencies are necessarily contested by Teachers Unions affiliated or not affiliated to any political parties.
As per the poll schedule announced by the ECI on Wednesday, the notification for the elections will be issued on May 15, the last date for filing of nomination papers is May 22, scrutiny of nomination papers will be taken up on May 24, last date for withdrawal of nomination papers is May 27, elections to the four seats will be held on June 10 and counting of votes will be held on June 13.
