Relief for Maharashtra CM: EC to hold council polls before May 27

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission of India on Friday granted permission for holding elections to the legislative council (MLCs) in Maharashtra before May 27, giving Uddhav Thackeray an opportunity to become a member of the state legislature within the six-month deadline to remain chief minister.
Earlier, Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray paid a courtesy visit to Raj Bhavan in Mumbai on the occasion of Maharashtra Day and met governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari. Their meeting lasted for around 20 minutes.
On Thursday, governor Koshyari had requested the ECI for the election to nine seats of the Legislative Council in the state.
The governor has made the request in a letter to the Election Commission, to fill the 9 seats in the legislative council, that has been lying vacant from April 24, "with a view to ending the current uncertainty in the state."
The governor's request came after Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday called Prime Minister Narendra Modi about his nomination to the state legislative council. According to sources, Thackeray sought Prime Minister Modi's help, saying if it doesn't happen, he will have to resign.
Prior to that, the Maharashtra cabinet had on April 28 once again had asked governor Koshyari to nominate chief minister Thackeray to the state legislative council.
Before that on April 9, the state cabinet had recommended Thackeray's name for one of the two vacant MLC seats that were to be nominated by Koshyari to the legislative council to avoid a constitutional crisis.
(With agency inputs)