Maharashtra CM expresses concern over delay in local body polls, pins hope on Supreme Court decision

A file image of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, speaking at the Mumbai Tech Week 2025, on Friday expressed concern over the prolonged delay in local body elections across the State, including those of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation.

He stressed that the absence of elected representatives for over two years has left bureaucrats managing public funds worth thousands of crores without the usual checks and balances. Mr. Fadnavis stated that only the Supreme Court can ensure timely elections and expects a final decision on the matter within the next two days.  

“For over two years, local bodies have been functioning without elected representatives. We cannot deprive our local bodies of elected representatives any longer. This is a matter of serious concern for us,” he said. The Supreme Court is currently hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) advocating for the immediate conduct of municipal elections.  

Mr. Fadnavis also highlighted the State’s preparedness to tackle the rising threat of cyber crimes, predicting that street crimes will account for only 30% of criminal offenses in the future. To address this, Maharashtra has established a dedicated corporation for cybercrime and is developing a state-of-the-art cybercrime headquarters in Navi Mumbai. Two other Indian states have reportedly approached Maharashtra to replicate this model.  

Reflecting on Mumbai’s development, Mr. Fadnavis acknowledged the city’s infrastructure challenges, attributing them to a lack of investment between 2000 and 2014. He noted that this had led to Mumbai losing ground to cities like Hyderabad and Bengaluru. However, his government is now actively working to address these issues.  

The Chief Minister outlined ambitious plans for the city’s expansion, including the creation of a “third Mumbai” near the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport, facilitated by the Atal Setu, and a “fourth Mumbai” around the Vadhawan port in the north. These developments are part of the government’s vision to build “thematic cities” dedicated to specific sectors or activities.  

Citing data from Startup India, Mr. Fadnavis asserted that Maharashtra leads the nation in both the number of startups and the capital they have raised. He revealed that 30% of these start-ups are technology-based, underscoring the state’s growing prominence in the tech sector.  

During the inauguration of Mumbai Tech Week 2025, the Chief Minister also announced several initiatives aimed at bolstering the State’s technological and entrepreneurial ecosystem. These include a coordination agreement between the Information Technology Department and Meta to launch a WhatsApp Chatbot for citizen services, a partnership to establish an AI Hub, plans to set up an Entrepreneur Museum, and the allocation of land to the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) at Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) for their global headquarters.  

Mr. Fadnavis highlighted the State’s focus on three major infrastructure projects over the next five years: the Traffic Augmentation Bandar Project at JNPT, which will boost India’s global maritime trade; the Navi Mumbai International Airport, expected to become a new business and technology hub; and river linking projects like Wainganga-Nalganga and Godavari to provide permanent water supply to drought-affected regions of Vidarbha and Marathwada.  

He credited the State’s War Room for accelerating decision-making processes, particularly for infrastructure projects like the Metro, Coastal Road, and Atal Setu. The War Room has streamlined approvals by bringing all stakeholders together, reducing delays caused by multiple agencies.  

In a lighter vein, Mr. Fadnavis shared personal insights on stress management, admitting that he has improved his ability to handle stress since taking office in 2014. While he refrained from recommending yoga, citing his lack of personal practice, he acknowledged its potential benefits.