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By:

Abhijit Mulye

21 August 2024 at 4:59:11 pm

MLC polls expose cracks in Mahayuti, MVA

AI Generated Image Mumbai: The upcoming Maharashtra Legislative Council (MLC) elections for the graduate and teacher constituencies have laid bare the deep-seated fissures within both the ruling Mahayuti and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliances. In a significant development that could have far-reaching political implications, multiple rebel candidates, including prominent figures with strong party affiliations, have defied alliance dictates to file their nominations as...

MLC polls expose cracks in Mahayuti, MVA

AI Generated Image Mumbai: The upcoming Maharashtra Legislative Council (MLC) elections for the graduate and teacher constituencies have laid bare the deep-seated fissures within both the ruling Mahayuti and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliances. In a significant development that could have far-reaching political implications, multiple rebel candidates, including prominent figures with strong party affiliations, have defied alliance dictates to file their nominations as independents, setting the stage for high-stakes, multi-cornered contests. Mahayuti Turmoil The Mahayuti alliance, comprising the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), is grappling with rebellion on multiple fronts. In the critical Nagpur Graduates constituency, a traditional BJP stronghold, former BJP MLC and Nagpur Mayor Anil Sole has thrown a spanner in the works by filing his nomination as an independent candidate. This move directly challenges the official BJP candidate, Sudhakar Kohale. While the BJP leadership, including state president Ravindra Chavan, has attempted to downplay the situation, asserting that Sole has been "pacified," the former MLC's actions tell a different story. Sole's decision to contest independently is particularly significant given his long-standing association with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and his previous stint as a BJP MLC from the very same constituency. The situation is equally complicated in the Amravati Teachers constituency. The Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) has officially fielded Kiran Sarnaik. However, adding to the confusion, Sangita Shinde, sister of BJP MP Anil Bonde, has also entered the fray, potentially splitting the Mahayuti vote. The opposition MVA is also facing its share of internal discord here. While the Congress has nominated Aditi Pohre, daughter of former minister Harshvardhan Deshmukh, the Shiv Sena (UBT) has fielded Dattatray Lahane. The presence of numerous candidates representing various teachers' organizations further complicates the electoral arithmetic in this constituency. Opposition Rebellion The Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar Graduates constituency has witnessed another surprise development. While the NCP's sitting MLC, Satish Chavan, was widely considered the frontrunner, the BJP's M.K. Deshmukh has unexpectedly filed his nomination as a rebel candidate, catching the Mahayuti leadership completely off guard. The MVA, too, is facing rebellion in this constituency. Although the seat was officially allocated to the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Dilip Ghuge has also filed his nomination, causing significant heartburn within the opposition alliance. The Pune constituencies present a microcosm of the larger alliance troubles. In the Pune Graduates constituency, the BJP has fielded Dr. Smita Jadhav, the daughter-in-law of Pratap Singh Jadhav, owner of the 'Pudhari' news group and niece of Congress leader Satej Patil. Adding intrigue to this contest is the fact that she is contesting against Harshada Deshmukh-Jadhav, the official candidate of the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction). However, the real drama is unfolding in the Pune Teachers constituency. The BJP's official candidate, Koustubh Gawde, is facing a formidable challenge from Mangesh Chiwate, a close confidant of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Chiwate, a former journalist who handled the CM's medical aid cell while Shinde was the CM, has claimed that his party leadership has provided him with the crucial 'AB' form, signaling official backing. Commenting on the chaotic situation, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis acknowledged that seat-sharing talks remained inconclusive in some areas but expressed hope that the alliance partners would eventually reach an agreement. The true picture of the electoral battlefield will only emerge after Friday, October 9th, the last date for the withdrawal of nominations. Until then, both alliances will be working overtime to contain the rebellions and present a united front, but the deep cracks exposed by these developments suggest that the upcoming MLC elections will be fiercely contested and highly unpredictable.

Maharashtra unveils sweeping land reforms

Writer: Abhijit Mulye
Abhijit Mulye
Sep 9
3 min read

Introduces real time online system to access land records, property cards and mutation history

Mumbai: In what is being hailed as the most comprehensive overhaul of property and revenue administration in the state’s history, Maharashtra Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule announced a sweeping series of land reforms on Wednesday.


Addressing a press conference, the minister unveiled the establishment of a dedicated Maharashtra Land Bank, alongside an integrated digital public infrastructure named the ‘Mahabhumi Stack’ to streamline land-related services. Furthermore, he declared that Maharashtra is on the cusp of becoming the very first state in India to implement a comprehensive Land Titling Act, a ground breaking legislative framework scheduled to be introduced during the winter session of the state assembly in Nagpur in December.


At the heart of this massive technological transformation is the Mahabhumi Stack, a highly sophisticated, citizen-centric digital platform designed to bring all critical land records and revenue services under one seamless online gateway. Historically, property buyers and owners have had to navigate a labyrinth of government departments and multiple disjointed portals to verify ownership details. By consolidating these services, the Mahabhumi Stack allows citizens to easily access essential documents such as 7/12 and 8A extracts, digitised land maps, property cards, and comprehensive mutation histories in real-time.


Bawankule emphasised that this consolidated digital infrastructure will empower buyers to independently verify recorded ownership and transaction history of a property before proceeding with a purchase. The platform is expected to drastically curb land-related frauds and double-selling scams.


Land Bank

Working in tandem with the digital stack is the newly conceptualised Maharashtra Land Bank. This centralised repository is engineered to accelerate infrastructure development and attract industrial investments by cataloging all available, encumbrance-free government and acquired land parcels across the state. By creating a transparent inventory, the Land Bank will significantly ease the often-protracted land acquisition process for large-scale public infrastructure projects and private industrial setups, thereby boosting the state’s economic momentum and improving its ease-of-doing-business rankings.


Beyond technological upgrades, the state government is preparing for a historic legislative paradigm shift. Bawankule assured that the highly anticipated Maharashtra Land Titling Act will be tabled in the upcoming winter session.


Cumbersome Practice

Currently, property ownership in India is largely presumptive, meaning a buyer must painstakingly trace the historical chain of transfer records to establish clear title. Once enacted, the new law will replace this cumbersome practice with a government-backed digital property card that offers conclusive proof of ownership. The state will essentially guarantee the title, providing immense security to property owners and financial institutions. The proposed framework will also introduce a stringent “measurement first, registration later” mandate, ensuring that no property transaction or subdivision can be executed without a prior, accurate, and digitally recorded land survey.


Legal Disputes

Highlighting the long-term societal impact of these visionary steps, Bawankule projected a dramatic reduction in legal disputes. Currently, civil courts across Maharashtra are choked with generations-old property conflicts, boundary disputes, and fraudulent transfer cases. The revenue minister stated that the ongoing digitization of land records, combined with the conclusive nature of the upcoming Land Titling Act, will cause the volume of litigations related to land titles to plummet. According to Bawankule’s projections, within the next three years, such property disputes are expected to drop to a mere ten percent of their current levels, saving ordinary citizens immense time, emotional distress, and financial resources currently drained by protracted court battles.


In another highly significant socio-economic decision aimed at empowering marginalised and indigenous communities, the revenue minister announced a special, time-bound administrative mission to resolve the long-standing grievances of the tribal population. Coinciding with a dedicated fortnight of public service, the state government will undertake an intensive, focused drive between September 17 and October 2, to clear all pending cases regarding forest rights claims made by tribals.


For decades, indigenous communities have struggled to secure formal recognition of the forest land they have cultivated for generations. This intensive two-week initiative is designed to fast-track the allocation of rightful land ownership to these tribal families, ensuring that the socio-economic benefits of the state’s broader land administration reforms reach the absolute grass-roots level.

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