Election Commission of India has officially announced the biennial election to Maharashtra Legislative Council (MLC) for 9 seats. The poll date is fixed as 12th May 2026, and the election notification will be issued starting 23rd April 2026. This election is being held to fill the seats of 9 MLC members who were elected by Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) and whose term ends on 13th May 2026.
The official press note, dated 16th April 2026, has been released by the Election Commission of India from Nirvachan Sadan, New Delhi. Total 9 sitting members of Maharashtra Legislative Council are retiring on 13.05.2026, and fresh elections will be conducted by MLAs of Maharashtra to fill all 9 vacancies in one go.
Maharashtra MLC Election 2026 - Official ECI Press Note
Below is the official press note released by Election Commission of India regarding this biennial election.
Note: The official press note (No. ECI/PN/068/2026, Dated 16th April 2026) has been released by Rajesh Kumar Singh, Under Secretary, Election Commission of India.
Also Check: Maharashtra 2002 Old SIR Voter List
9 Members Retiring from Maharashtra Legislative Council on 13 May 2026
These are the 9 sitting members of Maharashtra Legislative Council whose term is ending on 13th May 2026. All these members were elected by MLAs of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. Fresh elections will be held to replace all 9 of them.
| S. No. | Name of Member | Date of Retirement |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kenekar, Sanjay Kishanrao | 13 May 2026 |
| 2 | Gorhe, Neelam Diwakar | |
| 3 | Thackeray, Uddhav Balasaheb | |
| 4 | Joshi, Sandeep Diwakar | |
| 5 | Keche, Dadarao Yadavrao | |
| 6 | Mitkari, Amol Ramkrushna | |
| 7 | Mohite-Patil, Ranjitsinh Vijaysinh | |
| 8 | Rathod, Rajesh Dhondiram | |
| 9 | Shinde, Shashikant Jaywantrao |
Maharashtra MLC Election 2026 - Complete Schedule and Dates
Election Commission of India has laid out a full election schedule for this biennial election. Voting will happen from 9 AM to 4 PM on the poll date. Vote counting will happen on the same day at 5 PM. All events and their respective dates are listed in the table below.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Election Type | Biennial Election to Maharashtra Legislative Council |
| Conducted By | Election Commission of India |
| Total Seats | 9 Seats |
| Elected By | Members of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly (MLAs) |
| Retirement Date of Members | 13th May, 2026 |
| Issue of Notification | 23rd April, 2026 (Thursday) |
| Last Date for Nominations | 30th April, 2026 (Thursday) |
| Scrutiny of Nominations | 2nd May, 2026 (Saturday) |
| Last Date for Withdrawal | 4th May, 2026 (Monday) |
| Date of Poll | 12th May, 2026 (Tuesday) |
| Polling Hours | 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM |
| Counting of Votes | 12th May, 2026 at 5:00 PM |
| Election Completion Deadline | 13th May, 2026 (Wednesday) |
| Official Press Note Number | ECI/PN/068/2026 |
| Press Note Date | 16th April, 2026 |
How This Election Works - MLA Votes for MLC
Many people get confused between MLA and MLC elections. In Maharashtra, the Legislative Council (Vidhan Parishad) is the upper house of the state legislature. Some members of this council are elected directly by voters, but for these 9 seats, it is the sitting MLAs (Members of Legislative Assembly) who cast their votes to choose the MLC members. This is why it is called election "by Members of Legislative Assembly."
Since 9 members are retiring at the same time, all 9 seats will go up for election together. MLAs from their respective assembly constituencies will vote in this election. This is a standard biennial process where a portion of MLC members retire every two years and fresh elections are conducted to replace them.