Maharashtra Civic Polls On December 2: What’s Open, What’s Closed

Maharashtra is set to go to the polls for civic body elections on December 2, prompting arrangements for the smooth conduct of voting across the state. The election will be held in 246 municipal councils

and 42 nagar panchayats.

This marks the first phase of a three-tier process mandated by the Supreme Court. The polls are seen as a key indicator of political sentiment following the BJP-led Mahayuti’s landslide victory in the November 2024 assembly elections.

The first phase of voting is set for Tuesday, December 2, to elect members and presidents of municipal councils and nagar panchayats. Polling will be held using Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), with around 6,859 council member and 288 president positions up for grabs.

The Election Commission has reported a total of 1,07,03,576 registered voters for these elections, comprising 5.379 million male voters, 5.322 million female voters, and 775 transgender voters. The data reflects a nearly balanced gender ratio in the electoral rolls.

What will remain open or closed?elect

The Maharashtra government has declared December 2 a paid holiday to enable citizens to vote. Workplaces must provide either a full day off or 2–3 hours of special leave for employees to exercise their franchise.

All establishments under the Labour Department are required to comply, including factories, shops, hotels, commercial establishments, malls and retail outlets, IT companies, and other workplaces governed by the department.

Shortly before polling day, the Maharashtra State Election Commission (SEC) postponed elections in at least 20 municipal councils and nagar panchayats, citing procedural irregularities and ongoing court cases. These polls have now been rescheduled for December 20, 2025.

The affected areas include municipalities in Pune, such as Fursungi and Uruli Devachi, along with several councils across Marathwada, Thane, Chandrapur, Amaravati, Aurangabad, and other districts, according to the Indian Express.

The postponed list also includes Baramati, the home constituency of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.

Elections scheduled for December 2 will have their counting conducted on December 3, 2025. For the postponed elections now set for December 20, results will be announced following polling on December 21.