Maharashtra Council bypoll: Chavan files nomination papers

Mumbai, April 21: Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan today (April 21) filed his nomination papers for the bye-election to the State Legislative Council, scheduled to held here on May 4.

Chavan who is not a member of either of the Houses of the Legislature, has to get elected before May 11. He took over from Ashok Chavan after he resigned in wake of the Adarsh housing scam in November last year.

With the Congress leadership asking Chavan to fight Council elections instead of the Assembly, sitting MLC Sanjay Dutt vacated his seat last month facilitating the CM's election as a legislator.

289 members of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly form the electoral college for the bypoll. Congress has 82 and NCP has 62 MLAs.

The last day of filing the nomination papers is April 23 and the scrutiny will take place two days later while the last day of withdrawl of nomination papers is April 27. In the event of the election being contested, the poll will be taken on May 4.

Earlier, Chavan filed his papers in the presence of returning officer Anant Kalse, who is also the Principal Secretary of the State Legislature.

Senior Congress and NCP leaders including Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, State Unit Presidents Manikrao Thakre and Madhukar Pichad were also present on the occasion.

PTI