Maharashtra's 'Ladki Bahin' Scheme Halted by EC, Bihar Exemption Sparks Debate

• Election Commission (EC) halts early release of 'Ladki Bahin Yojana' January installment in Maharashtra ahead of BMC elections.
• This decision is a setback for the Devendra Fadnavis government, which aimed to disburse funds as a 'Sankranti gift'.
• Opposition questions EC's differing stance, citing no ban on similar disbursements during Bihar elections.
• EC clarifies that Maharashtra's attempt to disburse January funds 'in advance' violates the Model Code of Conduct.
• In Bihar, payments were regular installments of an ongoing scheme, not advance payments, hence no EC intervention.

Why It Matters: EC halts Maharashtra's 'Ladki Bahin' advance payment, citing Model Code of Conduct violation, unlike Bihar's regular payments.