Pre-election challenges to local body delimitation, ward formation and reservation rotation rules barred by constitutional provisions; fresh delimitation valid post-territorial changes; Rule XII resetting cycle consistent with proportional reservation mandate.

JUDGMENT :

Shree Chandrashekhar, C.J.

In re: Delimitation:

In this batch of writ petitions, the orders passed by the respondent-authority for the ward formation, ward formulation notifications etc. have been challenged primarily on the ground that the objections raised by the petitioners were decided ignoring the applicable guidelines or the objections have not been decided at all.

2. The writ petitions which according to the learned counsels for the petitioners required the reply-affidavit from the respondents on factual aspects have been segregated and listed on a different date.

3. The orders passed by this Court on different dates in the present proceedings may give some indication as to how the individual voters continued to file writ petitions even after the final hearing had started. The orders dated 7^th November 2025, 27^th November 2025 and 28^th November 2025 record the broad outline of the submissions made on behalf of the rival parties. These orders are reproduced herein-below:

Order dated 7^th November 2025:

“Along with Writ Petition Nos. 14981 of 2025 and 13371 of 2025, the following matters are taken on production Board:

2. Let certified copies of the paper-books in all these matters be supplied to the Registry by the learned counsels for the petitioners in these petitions.

3. In this batch of writ petitions, different issues pertaining to delimitation exercise, caste category, validity of rules etc are raised. Mrs. Neha S. Bhide, the learned Government Pleader has prepared a category-wise chart of the writ petitions which were listed on previous dates.

4. The learned counsels for the petitioners shall provide true translated copies of the Rules, circulars etc. if needed for adjudication in these matters.

5. Mr. Anil Anturkar, the learned senior counsel appearing for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13518 of 2025 referred to an order dated 4th May 2022 passed by the Hon'ble Supreme Court vide Special Leave to Appeal (C) No. 19756 of 2021 titled "Rahul Ramesh Wagh v. The State of Maharashtra & Ors." and made submissions with reference to the observations of the Hon'ble Supreme Court as to delimitation exercise conducted by the State Election Commission prior to coming into force of the Amendment Act on 11^th March 2022. The other learned counsels appearing for the petitioners in other writ petitions have adopted arguments made by Mr. Anil Anturkar, the learned senior counsel.

6. The submission made at the Bar is that the Hon'ble Supreme Court did not pass any order modifying the effective date as to taking into consideration delimitation exercise carried by the Election Commission. In Writ Petition No.12216 of 2025, it is contended that the State government shall have no powers to extend the Amendment Act to the Schedule areas. On the other hand, Mrs. Neha S. Bhide, the learned Government Pleader has opposed these writ petitions referring to the orders dated 6^th May 2025 and 16^th September 2025 passed by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in Special Leave to Appeal (C) No.19756 of 2021 titled "Rahul Ramesh Wagh u. The State of Maharashtra & Ors." and submitted that the elections for the local bodies in the State of Maharashtra have to be conducted and completed before