The Maharashtra government has postponed elections to cooperative societies in drought-affected districts with immediate effect, citing the widespread drought conditions affecting the Kharif 2026 season.

Source: IANS via hi INDiA

The decision was announced through a Government Resolution (GR) issued by the Cooperation Department late on Tuesday night, and will remain effective until further orders. The government invoked Section 73CC of the Maharashtra Cooperative Societies Act, 1960, which empowers it to defer cooperative elections during natural calamities and other exceptional circumstances.

Source: Indian Cooperative

Based on evaluations under the Drought Management Code 2016 and reports from the Commissioner of Agriculture, the government initially identified Trigger-1 drought conditions across 265 talukas. Subsequent data incorporating Trigger-1 and Trigger-2 assessments raised the total to 304 drought-affected talukas across the state.

The GR said departments including Revenue, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Cooperation, Rural Development and Water Supply are heavily engaged in relief work, and continuing election processes would divert vital administrative staff and officials away from urgent drought mitigation efforts.

The government also noted that taking part in election processes would cause significant inconvenience to farmers and members residing in drought-hit regions.

Who is exempt

The postponement does not apply to cooperative housing societies, to any cooperative society where the High Court or Supreme Court has specifically ordered elections to be conducted, or to societies where the nomination stage of the election process had already commenced before the date of the GR. Elections to the remaining societies are deferred from their existing stage until further government orders.

Source: Indian Cooperative