Mumbai Mayoral Election: Fadnavis Govt's Rule Change Foils Thackeray's Plan

• The Mahayuti government has changed the rules for appointing the Presiding Officer in the Mumbai Mayoral election, impacting the Thackeray faction's strategy.
• Previously, the outgoing mayor or the most senior corporator would preside; now, the Municipal Commissioner or a secretary-level officer will.
• This change prevents senior corporator Shraddha Jadhav of the Uddhav Thackeray faction from potentially becoming the presiding officer.
• The new rules limit the mayor's powers, preventing even newly elected mayors from presiding over deputy mayor elections.
• The move is seen as a pre-emptive measure by the government to avoid technical difficulties if an opposition member presided, leading to potential disputes.

Why It Matters: Fadnavis government's rule change for the Mumbai Mayoral election's presiding officer thwarts Uddhav Thackeray's strategy.