The Maharashtra government has postponed elections to most cooperative societies in drought-affected districts, citing the need to prioritise relief operations and prevent administrative staff from being diverted from urgent drought mitigation work.
The decision was announced through a Government Resolution (GR) issued by the Cooperation Department late Tuesday night. The order takes immediate effect and suspends eligible cooperative society elections at their current stages until further notice, subject to specified exemptions.
The government said the decision was taken in view of widespread drought conditions affecting the 2026 Kharif season and the need to provide relief to farmers and rural communities.
Drought conditions reported in 304 talukas
According to the GR, initial assessments under the Drought Management Code, 2016, and reports from the Commissioner of Agriculture identified Trigger-1 conditions in 265 talukas. Subsequent assessments incorporating Trigger-1 and Trigger-2 indicators increased the number of drought-affected talukas to 304 across Maharashtra.
Several departments, including Revenue, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Cooperation, Rural Development and Water Supply, are engaged in relief and mitigation work in the affected areas.
The government said continuing election-related activities would divert officials and administrative personnel from these responsibilities. It also noted that participation in the election process could cause considerable inconvenience to farmers and cooperative society members dealing with drought-related hardships.
Exemptions provided for certain cooperative societies
The order provides exemptions for cooperative housing societies, societies where the High Court or Supreme Court has specifically directed that elections be conducted, and societies where the nomination stage had already begun before the GR was issued.
The government has not announced a common revised election date for the affected societies. Elections covered by the postponement will remain suspended under the order until further instructions, subject to the stated exemptions.
DCCB elections in Ahilyanagar and Satara affected
The postponement has also affected elections to District Central Cooperative Banks (DCCBs), which play an important role in rural credit and agricultural finance.
In Ahilyanagar, 11 of the bank’s 21 seats had already been filled unopposed, while elections for the remaining 10 seats were pending. In Satara, nine of the 21 seats had been filled unopposed, leaving 12 seats to be contested.
Government said elections to the remaining seats in both banks had been postponed for six months. The status of the seats already filled unopposed remains distinct from the postponed contests.
Drought relief measures announced for farmers
The state government has previously announced relief measures for the 304 drought-affected talukas through Government Resolutions dated September 25 and October 14. These include restructuring crop loans, suspending agricultural loan recoveries, waiving current electricity bills for agricultural pumps, supplying drinking water through tankers, ensuring fodder availability for livestock and expanding employment opportunities under the Employment Guarantee Scheme.
Separately, the state cabinet on Tuesday approved an advance payment of Rs 5,000 each for nearly 1.5 crore eligible farmers in drought-hit talukas before Diwali. The government has allocated Rs 7,500 crore for the assistance, which will be transferred directly to beneficiaries’ bank accounts. Farmers whose crops have suffered damage exceeding 33 per cent will be eligible for the payment.
(With inputs from IANS)
