Page 4 - Maharashtra

Maharashtra HSC hall tickets 2026 released on mahahsscboard.in, know more

The MSBSHSE, Pune, has released the admit cards for the Maha Board HSE Class 12th exams 2026, scheduled for February-March 2026. The hall tickets are at the official website mahahsscboard.in

No advance payment under 'Ladki Bahin' scheme after SEC stand: Fadnavis

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday said his government will not release the January instalment under the 'Ladki Bahin Yojana' for eligible women in advance in compliance with a directive from the State Election Commission (SEC). Practice so far has been to give an advance instalment during major festivals to poorer women under the Ladki Bahin Yojana, but monthly stipend under the scheme (Rs 1,500) will now be credited in their accounts after January 16, the day when votes polled in 29 civic corporations are counted, he told reporters in Pune. The SEC on Monday barred the government from releasing the January instalment under the scheme (Rs 1,500) in advance, citing the enforcement of the model code of conduct for the January 15 elections to 29 municipal corporations in the state. The SEC's clarification came after it received several complaints following media reports claiming that beneficiaries of the scheme would receive Rs 3,000 - covering the December and ..

Civic polls: Raj Thackeray accuses Mahayuti of bribing voters, candidates

While addressing a joint rally with Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders here, he alleged that money has been offered to candidates to withdraw their nomination forms in 66 places (wards)

Stock markets to remain closed on Jan 15 for Maharashtra civic elections

The stock markets will remain closed on Thursday, January 15, on account of the Maharashtra civic polls, according to BSE and NSE. Trading in the equity segment, derivatives, commodity and electronic gold receipts would remain closed. In a circular on Monday, the National Stock Exchange (NSE), "notified Thursday, January 15, 2026, as a trading holiday in the capital market segment on account of Municipal Corporation Election in Maharashtra". Earlier, the bourse had stated that it would observe January 15 as a settlement holiday, while trading would be open on the day. Separately, BSE also announced that trading will remain closed on January 15 due to the Municipal Corporation Election. In total, exchanges usually have around 15 trading holidays in a year, apart from regular weekly closures on Saturdays and Sundays. On January 10, the Maharashtra government declared a public holiday for January 15 in Mumbai for civic polls. The holiday will apply to government and semi-government

Puja Khedkar alleges house help sedated family, stole valuables; probe on

The Pune police have launched a probe into former IAS probationer Puja Khedkar's allegations that a house help had rendered her and her parents unconscious and committed theft at their residence, an official said on Sunday. Puja Khedkar informed the police late on Saturday night about the alleged incident that occurred at the family's bungalow on Baner Road, the official said. According to police, she claimed that a house help hailing from Nepal, who had been employed recently, administered sedatives to her and her parents, Dilip and Manorama Khedkar, rendered them unconscious, tied them up, and decamped with their mobile phones and some valuables. Puja Khedkar claimed that she managed to free herself and alerted the police using another phone, the official said. Khedkar reported the incident over the phone and has not lodged a written complaint yet or provided details about any other valuables she claimed to have been stolen, the official said, adding that a probe has been ...

Fadnavis to request PM Modi to launch Dharavi redevelopment project

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said the state government will request Prime Minister Narendra Modi to lay the foundation stone of the Dharavi slum redevelopment project in Mumbai. Talking to reporters here on Saturday evening, Fadnavis said his government was committed to the Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP) and all eligible persons will get homes of 350 sq ft. "We will request PM Modi to lay the foundation stone of the Dharavi Redevelopment Project," he said. The project last year released its first eligibility list, with over 75 per cent of tenement holders qualifying for new homes under the ambitious slum redevelopment scheme. All bona fide residents who settled in Dharavi before January 1, 2000, are eligible for a 350 sq ft flat within Dharavi. All such residents will qualify for the resettlement unless they do not provide documents, according to data released by the DRP. Those who settled between January 1, 2000, and January 1, 2011, may receive 300 sq ft

Maha IPS officer tried to frame Fadnavis, Shinde, says former DGP's report

Former Maharashtra Director General of Police (DGP) Rashmi Shukla had recommended registration of an FIR against Sanjay Pandey, a former top cop, and two others over an alleged conspiracy to implicate Devendra Fadnavis and Eknath Shinde in a false case in 2016, sources said on Saturday. Reacting to the reports, BJP leaders demanded a thorough investigation to find out at whose instance Pandey, who was director general of police during the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government, was acting. Before she retired on January 3, Shukla submitted a report in this regard to the home department based on an inquiry conducted by a Special Investigation Team (SIT), sources said. The report suggested that then DGP Sanjay Pandey, Deputy Commissioner of Police Laxmikant Patil and Assistant Commissioner of Police Sardar Patil were involved in a conspiracy to implicate Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis (who was then Leader of Opposition in the assembly) as well as current deputy CM Shinde

Maharashtra declares public holiday on Jan 15 for civic polls in 29 cities

The Maharashtra State Election Commission on Friday announced that Thursday, January 15, will be a public holiday in areas falling under the 29 municipal corporations where polling for civic elections will be held, an official said. The holiday will apply to government and semi-government offices, corporations, boards, public undertakings, banks and central government offices within the jurisdiction of the civic bodies. The poll commission said administrative preparations, including readiness of EVMs (electronic voting machines), have been completed, and urged the public to take an active part in the democratic exercise. In a separate order, State Election Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare directed that adequate numbers of polling and counting personnel be appointed and that all such officials complete required training in time. He said strict action will be taken against those officials who skip the training. Waghmare issued the instruction during poll review meetings on January 6 and

Chilled beer access puts United Breweries' growth on tap in Tier-II towns

India's largest beer maker will expand its visi-cooler network, add new capacity and roll out product innovations to drive accessibility and category growth

LoP post vacant, Opposition may not meet criteria for whips in Maharashtra

Even as the Maharashtra legislative assembly has not had a leader of opposition for the last three sessions, opposition parties may be unable to appoint a chief whip under a new government resolution as the strength of each of them is below the 10 per cent threshold. A consolidated government resolution (GR) issued on Wednesday standardised the status, facilities and honorarium of chief whips and whips of political parties in the state legislature. The GR made it clear that parties must have at least 10 per cent of the total House strength to be eligible to appoint a chief whip and a whip who are entitled to state-funded facilities. The Speaker, meanwhile, has not yet accepted opposition parties' demand to appoint a leader of opposition. The strength of the Maharashtra assembly is 288. Of the ruling combine, the BJP has 132 MLAs, Shiv Sena 57 and the NCP 41. Of the opposition parties, Shiv Sena (UBT) has 20 members, the Congress 16 and NCP (SP) 10. Smaller parties and independents

Did BJP-Congress, AIMIM tie-up for Maharashtra civic polls? Fadnavis reacts

BJP has entered post-poll alliances with Congress and AIMIM in some Maharashtra civic bodies, triggering political backlash. Chief Minister Fadnavis denied approving such tie-ups and warned of action

₹200 crore forex, gold trading scam busted; 7 held in Maharashtra

Police in Maharashtra have unearthed a massive international syndicate that defrauded hundreds of people of more than Rs 200 crore by luring them into online forex and gold trading schemes, officials said on Tuesday. Seven persons, linked to more than 50 criminal cases lodged across several states in India, have so far been arrested in Maharashtra, with the police suspecting the masterminds were operating the racket from outside the country, they said. The fraudsters targeted victims by building trust through matrimonial websites and social media platforms before inducing them to invest in fraudulent schemes, Mira Bhayander-Vasai Virar Police Commissioner Niket Kaushik said at a press conference. The breakthrough came on November 12, 2025, when a police team, while probing a complaint of fraud, conducted a raid at the Shivsai Residency Lodge and Boarding on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway, he said. Initially, five individuals were apprehended for conspiring to receive illegal funds ..

Bayer, ADM extend Maharashtra soyabean farmer programme to 100K growers

Germany's Bayer AG on Monday said it has extended its partnership with US agribusiness ADM by three years to support soybean farmers in Maharashtra, scaling the programme fourfold to reach 1,00,000 growers. The partnership, launched in June 2022, reached 25,000 farmers by May 2025 and will now expand coverage from 35,000 hectares to 200,000 hectares, Bayer said in a statement. The expanded programme will cover seven districts in Maharashtra, adding Nanded, Parbhani, Hingoli, and Solapur to the original areas of Latur, Dharashiv, and Beed. The initiative focuses on sustainable farming practices through the ProTerra Foundation framework, covering production management, biodiversity protection, programme monitoring, crop documentation and post-harvest management, the company said. Bayer has delivered training programmes on good agricultural practices and integrated pest management, reaching over 58,000 farmers through audio bridge calls, while ADM's agronomist team receives regular ..

Maharashtra civic polls: Delays and gaps hurting urban governance

Despite constitutional mandates, municipal elections across India face chronic delays, weakening local democracy and exposing political control over urban governance

Payment delays, stricter policy cloud alcoholic beverage outlook

Payment delays in Telangana and Maharashtra's new MML policy are straining liquor makers' cash flows, disrupting IMFL sales, and forcing companies to rethink pricing and portfolios

Ajit Pawar attacks BJP, blames party for Pune's stalled civic development

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP head Ajit Pawar on Saturday accused the BJP's local leadership for "lack of development" in Pune and asked people in the state's second largest city to give his party a chance in the January 15 civic polls. Addressing a press conference here, Pawar said problems have increased despite the Pune Municipal Corporation having adequate resources. "Pune Municipal Corporation is one of the largest municipal corporations in the state. However, citizens have not received adequate civic amenities. Traffic problems still persist today. We (NCP) will continue to make every effort to ensure development across the municipal area," said Pawar, who is also guardian minister of the district. "As per the TomTom traffic survey, Pune has been ranked among the worst cities in the world for traffic congestion, standing at fourth position globally. In Pune, it takes about 33 minutes to cover a distance of just 10 km. Traffic congestion is seen at several places ..

Maharashtra govt waives stamp duty on farm, crop loans up to ₹2 lakh

The Maharashtra government has waived stamp duty on documents related to agricultural and crop loans of up to Rs 2 lakh to reduce the financial burden on farmers and simplify the loan process, Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said on Saturday. "The decision was taken after it was noticed that farmers were facing an additional financial burden even while availing loans. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has directed that revenue laws and rules be made simpler and more people-friendly, and accordingly, this decision was taken," he said. The revenue and forest department issued a government gazette notification in this regard on January 1. The waiver has come into effect from that date. As per the notification, stamp duty will not be levied on legal documents required for loans up to Rs 2 lakh, including title deeds, deposits, mortgage and pledge papers, guarantee letters, mortgage deeds and loan agreements, according to Bawankule. Earlier, crop loans attracted stamp duty at t

Sadanand Date, 26/11 terror attack hero, takes charge as Maharashtra DGP

Senior IPS officer and 26/11 terror attack hero Sadanand Vasant Date on Saturday took charge as Director General of Maharashtra Police. He was heading the National Investigation Agency (NIA) till recently before being repatriated to his home cadre on the request of the Maharashtra government. The 1990-batch officer was appointed as DGP on December 31. Date, 59, accepted the charge from Rashmi Shukla, the first woman DGP of Maharashtra who retired on Saturday, at the state police headquarters here. He will have a tenure of two years as the head of the over 2 lakh-strong Maharashtra police force. Known as an upright officer, Date was serving in Mumbai as Additional Commissioner of Police (Central Region) when Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists from Pakistan attacked multiple locations in the city on November 26, 2008. He led a police team that pinned down terrorists Ajmal Kasab and Abu Ismail on the rooftop of Cama Hospital in south Mumbai. Despite being severely injured by grenade splinter

BJP tells Ajit Pawar to introspect before levelling corruption allegations

Maharashtra BJP president Ravindra Chavan on Saturday said Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar should "introspect", after he alleged corruption and debt in the Pimpri Chinchwad civic body, which had been ruled by the BJP. If the Bharatiya Janata Party starts making allegations, it would create serious difficulties for him (Pawar), Chavan said, and advised the NCP chief to "introspect" before levelling allegations. The NCP, headed by Pawar, is an ally of the BJP in the ruling Mahayuti dispensation. Chavan was responding to Pawar's allegations that the civic body has been infested with corruption for the last nine years and has been pushed into debt over the same period. Notably, the Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal corporation was governed by the BJP from 2017 to 2022 and thereafter by a state-appointed administrator. The civic body is going to the polls on January 15, along with 28 other municipal corporations. "Ajit Pawar made this statement in the backdrop of the upcoming elections. Aji

Maha civic polls: 68 Mahayuti candidates elected unopposed, 44 from BJP

The BJP and its Mahayuti allies have won 68 seats unopposed in the Maharashtra civic polls, voting for which will be held on January 15. Across the state, as many as 68 candidates from the BJP and the Mahayuti have been elected unopposed, reflecting the party's growing strength in urban local bodies, BJP leader Keshav Upadhye said on Friday. This includes 44 of the BJP, with the highest number being from Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation in Thane district, followed by Pune, Pimpri Chinchwad, Panvel, Bhiwandi, Dhule, Jalgaon and Ahilyanagar. The Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena has seen 22 of its candidates getting elected unopposed, while the figure is two for Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party. BJP leaders attributed the trend to the popularity of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and what they described as the successful electoral strategy of state unit president Ravindra Chavan. These have helped the BJP emerge as a dominant force not only in municipal councils but also in .