The 288-member Maharashtra Legislative Assembly will vote in a single phase on November 20. The incumbent assembly's term will end on November 26, three days after the resultsare declared.
The five years of the outgoing assembly were marred by political turmoil. The state saw three different chief ministers. Two major parties – the Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) – saw splits leading to alliances in power and in the opposition.
The fight in Maharashtra is considered bipolar between the ruling Mahayuti and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).
The BJP is currently in alliance with Ajit Pawar-led NCP and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena under the ruling Mahayuti banner. The Shiv Sena (UBT), the NCP (Sharad Pawar) and the Congress are part of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance.
PRS Legislative Research, an independent research institute, examined the functioning of the Maharashtra Assembly between November 2019 and July 2024, the duration of the 14th Assembly. Here are some of the key statistics from the findings:
- Three persons were sworn in as Chief Minister in last five years. These include Bhartiya Janata Party’s Devendra Fadavis, Shiv Sena’s (UBT) Uddhav Thackeray, and now Shiv Sena’s (SHS) Eknath Shinde.
-18 per cent of MLAs (53 individuals) who have been part of the Assembly have been Ministers.
-More than 120 MLAs (42 per cent of total Assembly) have faced disqualification proceedings between 2022 and 2023.
-Speaker’s Chair was vacant for over a year.In February 2021, Speaker Nana Patole resigned. The Assembly then functioned without a Speaker for over a year, with the Deputy Speaker presiding over the functioning. A new Speaker, Rahul Narwekar, was elected in July 2022, after a change in government.
- The Assembly met for 27 days a year with sittings lasting for 7 hours on average. This is more days than the national average of 27 other Legislative Assemblies, according to PRS Legislature.
-83 percent attendance was reported in Assembly sittings.
-Urban Development department received most questions.
-Maharashtra Assembly’s longest sitting was in March 2023, lasting 15 hours. During the session, the state Budget was discussed.
- 70 per cent of the Bills were passed in 5 days or less
-Nine Bills were referred to Committees. These included :
-Shakti Criminal Laws Bill, 2020.
-Payment of Compensation to Farmers Bill, 2023.
-Seeds Bill.
-Insecticides Bill.
-Essential Commodities Bill.
-A third of Bills were passed in both Houses within a day of introduction.
-Most Bills passed related to education and local governance. 33 Bills about setting upprivate universities or altering provisions related to public universities were passed.
-24 Bills dealing with urban local bodies (municipal corporations, municipal councils, etc.) were passed.
-20 Private Member’s Bills were introduced in Maharashtra assembly five years. None discussed.
