Maharashtra SEC Clarifies Door-to-Door Campaign Rules Amid Opposition Criticism

Ahead of the January 15, 2026 Maharashtra civic polls, the State Election Commission (SEC) clarified that door-to-door campaigning after the official campaign period is allowed under a 2012 order, with restrictions such as no microphones and limited group size. Opposition leaders, including Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray, criticized this as weakening the silence period and alleged it favors the ruling coalition. The SEC maintains these rules permit limited personal outreach without public canvassing.