Elections in Maharashtra, a state in India, are conducted in accordance with the Constitution of India. The Assembly of Maharashtra creates laws regarding the conduct of local body elections unilaterally while any changes by the state legislature to the conduct of state level elections need to be approved by the Parliament of India. In addition, the state legislature may be dismissed by the Parliament according to Article 356 of the Indian Constitution and President's rule may be imposed.
Main Political Parties
INC: Indian National Congress; INC(I): Indira Congress; Cong(S): Socialist Cong of Sharad Pawar; NCP: Nationalist Congress Party (Main leader: Sharad Pawar)
BJP: Bharatiya Janata Party, BJS: Jan Sangh (Precursor of BJP), SS: Shiv Sena
JP/JD: Janata Party/Dal, BLD: Bharatiya Lok Dal, PWP: Peasants' & Workers' Party (शेतकरी कामगार पक्ष)
PSP: Praja Samajwadi Party, SSP: Samyukta Socialist Party, CPI, CPM or CPI(Marxist): Communist Party of India.
SCF: Scheduled Castes Federation, founded by Dr Ambedkar. Later it eveolved into (Republican Party of India).
It is worth noting that the 1951 and 1957 election are results from Bombay State.
1952: 'Bombay State' (26-March-1952; incl. Gujarat, Bijapur; minus Marathwada, Vidarbha) Total: 315. Congress: 269, Socialists: 9, PWP: 14, Ind: 18
1957: Elections to 'Bombay State' in 1957 included the areas which formed part of Maharashtra when it was formed in 1960, including Vidarbha and Marathwada. It also included Gujarat region but not Saurashtra which later became part of Gujarat State. Total: 396. Congress: 234, PSP: 36, CPI: 13, Jan Sangh: 4, PWP (शे का प): 31, SCF: 13, Independents: 64. (Chief Minister: Yeshwantrao Chavan, from April 1957)
The State of Maharashtra was formed in May 1960, and the first general elections after its formation were held in 1962.
1962: Total Seats: 264. Congress: 215/264, PWP (शे का प): 15; (Chief Ministers: Yeshwantrao Chavan, Marotrao Kannamwar, Vasantrao Naik)
- More details: Maharashtra Legislative Assembly election, 1962
1967: Total: 270. Congress: 203, PWP: 19, CPI: 10, Praja Socialists: 8, RPI: 5, Jan sangh: 4, SSP: 4 (CM: Vasantrao Naik)
- More details: Maharashtra Legislative Assembly election, 1967
1972: Total: 264. Congress: 222, PWP: 7, Jan Sangh: 5 . (CMs: Vasantrao Naik, Shankarrao Chavan, Vasantdada Patil)
1978: Total: 288. Janata: 99, Congress: 69, Congress(Indira): 62 . (CMs: Vasantdada Patil (Cong), Sharad Pawar (Rebel Cong))
1980: Total: 288. Congress(I): 186 ; Opposition : Sharad Congress: 47, Janata Party: 17, BJP: 14 (CMs: A R Antulay + Babasaheb Bhosale + Vasantdada Patil)
1985: Total: 288. Congress(I): 161 ; Opposition : Sharad Congress: 54, Janata Party: 20, BJP: 16 (CMs: Shivajirao Patil Nilangekar + Shankarrao Chavan + (after merging with Congress) Sharad Pawar)
1990: Total: 288. Congress: 141 ; Shiv Sena + BJP: 52 + 42. (Congress CMs: Sharad Pawar + Sudhakarrao Naik + again Sharad Pawar)
1995: Total: 288. Shiv Sena + BJP: 73+65 (138); Congress: 80. (Shiv Sena CMs: Manohar Joshi + Narayan Rane)
1999: Total: 288. Congress: 75; Pawar's NCP: 58; Shiv Sena + BJP: 69+56=125 . Post-poll Cong-NCP alliance (Congress CMs: Vilasrao Deshmukh + Sushilkumar Shinde)
2004: Total: 288. Congress + NCP: 69+71 (140); Shiv Sena + BJP: 62+54 (Congress CMs: Vilasrao Deshmukh + Ashok Chavan)
2009: Total: 288. Congress + NCP: 82+62 (144); Shiv Sena + BJP: 44+46 (Congress CMs: Ashok Chavan + Prithviraj Chavan)
2014: Total: 288. BJP+Allies: 122+1, Shiv Sena: 63, Congress: 42, NCP (Sharad Pawar's Party): 41 (CMs: Devendra Fadnavis (BJP))
