Ahead of the Maharashtra assembly polls, scheduled to be held in November, a panchayat in Maharashtra’s Kolhapur district has issued an unconstitutional resolution barring the Muslim community from enrolling in the voters’ list, reports said.The resolution, passed on August 28, was officially communicated on September 5. It was signed by sarpanch Rasika Patil and states that the decision was made after an “elaborate discussion,” according to The Wire.The resolution stated that the names of Muslims who had “recently arrived in the village” should not be included in the voter list. The panchayat further declared it would remove any such names if found during the publication of the voter list.The resolution has sparked outrage among local Muslim organisations who have filed a formal complaint with the district magistrate calling for an FIR to be lodged against the sarpanch and the panchayat members involved. The Muslim Education Society (MES) lodged its complaint on Sunday condemning the resolution as discriminatory and unconstitutional, Clarion India said.In response to the backlash, Shanganapur Sarpanch Rasika Patil issued a video statement, claiming the resolution had been misunderstood. She explained, “A few weeks ago, two ‘Bangladeshi’ Muslim women arrived in the village with Aadhaar cards, appearing to live as Indian citizens. The issue was raised in the Gram Sabha, and this resolution was aimed at addressing that specific situation. However, it is now being portrayed in a way that threatens the peace and order of society.”Despite the clarification, Muslim organisations remain adamant that the resolution is unconstitutional and have demanded immediate legal action. The incident has raised concerns over the growing trend of Islamophobia and the potential for social discord.As the issue continues to unfold, authorities have yet to take formal action against the panchayat members. Local political and community leaders have also voiced concern over the situation, urging the panchayat to uphold the constitutional rights of all citizens.
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