RNI No. MAHENG /2009/35528
महाराष्ट्रट शासन राजपत्र
असाधाराण भाग आठ
वर्ष १२, अंक ४३] सोमवारा, ऑगस्ट ३, २०२६/श्रावण १२, शाके १९४८ [पृष्ठे ४, किंकंमत : रुपये २७.००
असाधाराण क्रमांक ११७
प्राकिंधाकृत प्राकाशान
महाराष्ट्र किंवधानमंडळाचे अकिंधाकिंनयेम व राज्येपालांांनी प्राख्येाकिंपत केलांेलांे अध्येादेशा व केलांेलांे
किंवकिंनयेम आकिंण किंवकिंधा व न्येाये किंवभागाकडून आलांेलांी किंवधाेयेके (इंग्रजी अनुवादे).
In pursuance of clause (3) of article 348 of the Constitution of India, the following translation in English of the Maharashtra Village Panchayats and Maharashtra Zilla Parishads and Panchayats Samitis (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026 (Mah. Ord. X of 2026), is hereby published under the authority of the Governor.
By order and in the name of the Governor of Maharashtra,
SUPRIYA DHAWARE, Secretary (Legislation) to Government, Law and Judiciary Department. (Translation in English of the Maharashtra Village Panchayats and Maharashtra Zilla Parishads and Panchayats Samitis (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026 (Mah. Ord. X of 2026), published under the authority of the Governor).
RURAL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
Bandhkam Bhavan 25, Marzban Path, Fort, Mumbai 400 001, dated the 3rd August 2026.
MAHARASHTRA ORDINANCE No. X OF 2026.
AN ORDINANCE
further to amend the Maharashtra Village Panchayats Act and the
Maharashtra Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis Act, 1961.
WHEREAS both Houses of the State Legislature are not in session;
(१)
भाग आठ-११७–१२ महाराष्ट्रट शासन राजपत्र असाधाराण भाग आठ, ऑगस्ट ३, २०२६/श्रावण १२, शाके १९४८ NOW, THEREFORE, in exercise of the powers conferred by clause (1) of article 213 of the Constitution of India, the Governor of Maharashtra is hereby pleased to promulgate the following Ordinance, namely:-
CHAPTER I
Preliminary
Short title and commencement.
1. (1) This Ordinance may be called the Maharashtra Village Panchayats and Maharashtra Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026.
(2) It shall come into force at once.
CHAPTER II
amendments to the Village Panchayats act
III of 1959.
2. In section 10-1A of the Maharashtra Village Panchayats Act (hereinafter, in this Chapter, referred to as "the Maharashtra Village Panchayats Act"), after the second proviso, the following proviso shall be added, namely:-
Amendment of section 10-1A of III of 1959.
Mah. Ord. X of 2026.
"Provided also that, if such person is elected in the elections held on or after the 9th February 2026 but on or before the date of commencement of the Maharashtra Village Panchayats and Maharashtra Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026, and he fails to produce the Validity Certificate within a period of twelve months from the date on which he is declared elected, his election shall be deemed to have been terminated retrospectively and he shall be disqualified for being a member.".
3. In section 30-1A of the Maharashtra Village Panchayats Act, after the second proviso, the following proviso shall be added, namely:-
Amendment of section 30-1A of III of 1959.
Mah. Ord. X of 2026.
"Provided also that, if such person is elected in the elections held on or after the 9th February 2026 but on or before the date of commencement of the Maharashtra Village Panchayats and Maharashtra Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026, and he fails to produce the Validity Certificate within a period of twelve months from the date on which he is declared elected, his election shall be deemed to have been terminated retrospectively and he shall be disqualified for being a Sarpanch.".
CHAPTER III
amendments to the maharashtra Zilla Parishads and Panchayat samitits act, 1961
Mah. V of 1962.
Amendment of section 12A of Mah. V of 1962.
4. In section 12A of the Maharashtra Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis Act, 1961 (hereinafter, in this Chapter, referred to as "the Maharashtra Zilla Parishads and Panchayats Samitis Act"), after the second proviso, the following proviso shall be added, namely:-
Mah. Ord. X of 2026.
"Provided also that, if such person is elected in the elections held on or after the 9th February 2026 but on or before the date of commencement of the Maharashtra Village Panchayats and Maharashtra Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026, and he fails to produce the Validity Certificate within a period of twelve months from the date on which he is declared elected, his election shall be deemed to have been terminated retrospectively and he shall be disqualified for being a Councillor.".
महाराष्ट्रट शासन राजपत्र असाधाराण भाग आठ, ऑगस्ट ३, २०२६/श्रावण १२, शाके १९४८ ३Mah. Ord. X of 2026.
"Provided also that, if such person is elected in the elections held on or after the 9th February 2026 but on or before the date of commencement of the Maharashtra Village Panchayats and Maharashtra Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026, and he fails to produce the Validity Certificate within a period of twelve months from the date on which he is declared elected, his election shall be deemed to have been terminated retrospectively and he shall be disqualified for being a President.".
6. In section 67 of the Maharashtra Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis Act, in sub-section (7A) after the second proviso, the following proviso shall be added, namely:-
Amendment of section 67 of Mah. V of 1962.
Mah. Ord. X of 2026.
"Provided also that, if such person is elected in the elections held on or after the 9th February 2026 but on or before the date of commencement of the Maharashtra Village Panchayats and Maharashtra Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026, and he fails to produce the Validity Certificate within a period of twelve months from the date on which he is declared elected, his election shall be deemed to have been terminated retrospectively and he shall be disqualified for being a Chairman.".
४ महाराष्ट्रट शासन राजपत्र असाधाराण भाग आठ, ऑगस्ट ३, २०२६/श्रावण १२, शाके १९४८STATEMENT
Sections 10-1A and 30-1A of the Maharashtra Village Panchayats Act (III of 1959), and sections 12A, 42 and 67 of the Maharashtra Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis Act, 1961 (Mah. V of 1962), provides that every person desirous of contesting election to a seat reserved for members and Sarpanchs of Village Panchayats, Councillors and Presidents of Zilla Parishads and Chairmen of Panchayat Samitis for persons belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes or, as the case may be, Backward Classes of Citizens, shall submit, alongwith the nomination papers, Caste Certificate issued by the Competent Authority and the Validity Certificate issued by the Scrutiny Committee.
2. The candidates are however permitted, under the provisos to above referred section to submit, alongwith the nomination papers for election to a reserved seat, a true copy of the application preferred by him to the Scrutiny Committee for issuance of the Validity Certificate or any other proof thereof; and an undertaking that he shall submit, within a period of six months from the date of his election, the Validity Certificate issued by the Scrutiny Committee. The effect of failure to submit such Validity Certificate within specified period of six months is termination of election of such persons with retrospective effect and disqualification to hold the post of Member, Sarpanch, Councillor, President or Chairman as the case may be.
3. As elections to large number of municipalities, Zilla Parishads, Panchayat Samitis and Village Panchayats have been held simultaneously in the months of December 2025 to February 2026, the Scrutiny Committees have been overburdened with the task of verification of caste certificates and issuing Validity Certificates. Due to this, the elected candidates in such elections are facing difficulties in obtaining Validity Certificates in specified time limit. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that the elected member, Sarpanch, Councillor, President and Chairman who are yet to receive the Validity Certificates due to pendency of their applications before the Scrutiny Committee, are not disqualified for want of submission of Validity Certificates within a specified time limit. It is, therefore, considered expedient to provide for extension of further period of six months for submitting Validity Certificates by such elected members, Sarpanchs, Councillors, President and Chairman in such elections, by suitably amending above referred sections of the Maharashtra Village Panchayats Act and the Maharashtra Zilla Parishads and Panchayats Samitis Act, 1961.
4. As both Houses of the State Legislature are not in session and the Governor of Maharashtra is satisfied that circumstances exist which render it necessary for him to take immediate action further to amend the Maharashtra Village Panchayats Act and the Maharashtra Zilla Parishads and Panchayats Samitis Act, 1961, for the purposes aforesaid, this Ordinance is promulgated.
JISHNU DEV VARMA,
Mumbai, Dated the 31st July 2026. Governor of Maharashtra.
By order and in the name of the Governor of Maharashtra,
Dr. CHANDRAKANT PULKUNDWAR,
Secretary to Government. ON BEHALF OF GOVERNMENT PRINTING, STATIONERY AND PUBLICATION, PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY DIRECTOR, SMT. MANISHA KUMBHAR, 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, SMT. MANISHA KUMBHAR.