L. C. BILL No. I OF 2026.

A BILL

further to amend the Maharashtra Public Universities Act, 2016.

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

AND WHEREAS, the Governor of Maharashtra was satisfied that

circumstances exited which rendered it necessary for him to take immediate

action further to amend the Maharashtra Public Universities Act, 2016, for the

purposes hereinafter appearing ; and, therefore, promulgated the Maharashtra

Public Universities (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026, on the 18th February 2026 ;

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 :—

1.  (1) This Act may be called the Maharashtra Public Universities

(Amendment) Act, 2026.

(2) It shall be deemed to have come into force on the 18th February 2026.

Mah. VI

of 2017.

Mah.

Ord. I of

2026.

Short title and

commencement.

भााग पााच-अ—५-१

RNI No. MAHBIL /2009/40123

महाारााष्ट्रट शाासन रााजपत्र

असाधाारण भााग पाच–अ

वर्षष १२, अंक ४]

शनि�वार, फेेब्रुुवारी २८, २०२६/फाल्गुन ९, शकेे १९४७

[पृष्ठेे 3, किं�ंमत : रुपयेे ३६.००

असाधाारण क्रमांं�क ५

प्रााधि�कृृत प्रकााशन

महाारााष्ट्र वि�धाानसभेत व महाारााष्ट्र वि�धाानपरि�षषदेेत सादर केलेेली वि�धेेयकेे (इंंग्रजी अनुवाद).

MAHARASHTRA LEGISLATURE SECRETARIAT

The following Bill which was introduced in the Maharashtra Legislative Council on

28th February, 2026 is published under Rule 113 of the Maharashtra Legislative Council Rules :—

2

महाराष्ट्रõ शासन रा

असाधारण भाग पाच–अ, फेब्रुवारी २८,

२०२६/फाल्गुन ९, शके १

2.  In section 109 of the Maharashtra Public Universities Act, 2016

(hereinafter referred to as “the principal Act”), in sub-section (3),—

(1)  in clause (d), after the existing proviso, the following proviso shall

be added, namely :—

“Provided further that, for the academic year 2026-2027, the

State Government may grant Letter of Intent on or before 15th March

2026.”;

(2)  in clause (g), second proviso and Table shall be deleted.

3.  (1)  The Maharashtra Public Universities (Amendment) Ordinance,

2026, is hereby repealed.

(2)  Notwithstanding such repeal, anything done or any action taken

(including any notification 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.

Amendment

of section 109

of Mah. VI of

2017.

Mah. VI

of 2017.

Repeal of

Mah. Ord. I of

2026 and

saving.

Mah.

Ord. I of

2026.

महाराष्ट्रõ शासन रा

असाधारण भाग पाच–अ, फेब्रुवारी २८,

२०२६/फाल्गुन ९, शके १

3

STATEMENT OF OBJECTS AND REASONS

Section 109 of the Maharashtra Public Universities Act, 2016 (Mah. VI of

2017), provides for the procedure for permission for opening new college or new

course, subject, faculty, division or satellite centre. Clause (d) of sub-section (3)

of said section 109 provides that, out of the applications recommended by the

university, the State Government may grant a Letter of Intent on or before 31st

January of the immediately following year after the recommendations of the

university under clause (c) of said section 109.

2.  Due to Code of Conduct for elections of local authorities the Government

was not able to grant Letter of Intent within the prescribed period. The

Government, therefore, considered expedient to amend clause (d) of sub-section

(3) of section 109, suitably, so as to extend the date for grant of Letter of Intent

by the State Government for opening a new college or institution of higher

learning for the academic year 2026-2027.

3.  As both Houses of the State Legislatures 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 Public Universities Act, 2016, for the aforesaid purposes, the

Maharashtra Public Universities (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026, (Mah. Ord. I

of 2026), was promulgated by the Governor of Maharashtra on the 18th

February 2026.

4.  The Bill is intended to replace the said Ordinance by an Act of the

State Legislature.

Mumbai,

CHANDRAKANT (DADA) PATIL,

Dated the 27th February, 2026.

Minister for Higher and

Technical Education.

Vidhan Bhavan :

Dr. VILAS ATHAWALE,

Mumbai,

Secretary (3)

Dated 28th February, 2026.

Maharashtra Legislative Council.

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.