**Executive Summary**
This notification, issued by the Election Commission of India on June 1, 2026, designates the Returning Officer and Assistant Returning Officers for the upcoming bye-election to the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) in Maharashtra. Exercising powers under the Representation of the People Act, 1951, the Commission has appointed specific officials from the Maharashtra Legislature Secretariat to oversee the election process. These appointments are effective as of the date of publication in the Gazette of India.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Legal Framework**
* The appointments are made in pursuance of Section 21 and sub-section (1) of Section 22 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
* The Commission acted in consultation with the Government of the State of Maharashtra.
* **Designation of Returning Officer**
* Smt. Meghana Talekar, Secretary-2 of the Maharashtra Legislature Secretariat, is designated as the Returning Officer for the bye-election.
* **Appointment of Assistant Returning Officers**
* Two officials are appointed to assist the Returning Officer in her functions:
1. Shri Mohan Sadashiv Kakad, Deputy Secretary, Maharashtra Legislature Secretariat.
2. Shri Suresh Nilkanthrao Mogal, Under Secretary, Maharashtra Legislature Secretariat.
* **Scope of Authority**
* These designations are specifically for the bye-election to the Council of States from the State of Maharashtra as per the Commission’s notification dated June 1, 2026.
**Impact Analysis**
**Smt. Meghana Talekar (Secretary-2, Maharashtra Legislature Secretariat)**
**Impact**
She is formally assigned the primary responsibility and legal authority of the Returning Officer for the Rajya Sabha bye-election.
**Action Required**
Must execute all statutory duties and functions of a Returning Officer to conduct the bye-election in accordance with the law.
**Shri Mohan Sadashiv Kakad and Shri Suresh Nilkanthrao Mogal**
**Impact**
They are officially designated as Assistant Returning Officers.
**Action Required**
Provide necessary assistance to the Returning Officer in the performance of her electoral duties.
**Maharashtra Legislature Secretariat**
**Impact**
The Secretariat serves as the administrative source for the key officials managing the state's Council of States bye-election.
**Action Required**
Ensure the designated officers are available to perform their election-related responsibilities alongside their secretarial roles.
Key Entities Referenced
Election Commission of India: The primary regulatory body responsible for managing election processes and issuing the notification for officer appointments.
Representation of the People Act, 1951: The primary legislation under which sections 21 and 22 are invoked to designate and appoint election officers.
Council of States (Rajya Sabha): The legislative body for which a bye-election is being conducted in the State of Maharashtra.
State of Maharashtra: The specific location central to the applicability of the bye-election and the jurisdiction of the appointed officers.
Returning Officer: The key official role (designated to Smt. Meghana Talekar) responsible for overseeing the conduct of the election.
रजिस्ट्री स.ं डी.एल.- 33004/99 REGD. No. D. L.-33004/99
सी.जी.-डी.एल.-अ.-01062026-273023
xxxGIDHxxx
CG-DL-E-01062026-273023
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असाधारण
EXTRAORDINARY
भाग II—खण् ड 3—उप-खण्ड (iii)
PART II—Section 3—Sub-section (iii)
प्राजधकार स ेप्रकाजित
PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY
स.ं 24] िई दिल्ली, सोमर्ार, ििू 1, 2026/ज्य ष्े ठ 11, 1948
No. 24] NEW DELHI, MONDAY, JUNE 1, 2026/JYAISHTHA 11, 1948
भारत जिर्ाचा ि आयोग
अजधसचू िा
िई दिल्ली, 1 िूि, 2026
आ.अ. 24(अ).— लोक प्रजतजिजधत्र् अजधजियम ् 1951 (1951 का 43) की धारा 21 के अिसु रण म ें और धारा 22
की उपधारा (1) द्वारा प्रित्त िजियों का प्रयोग करते हुए जिर्ाचा ि आयोग, महाराष्ट्र राज्य सरकार के परामि ास ेतारीख 01
िूि, 2026 को राज्य के िासकीय रािपत्र म ें प्रकाजित आयोग की अजधसूचिा के अिुसरण म ें इस राज्य स े राज्य सभा के
जलए होिे र्ाले उप जिर्ााचि के संबंध म ें एततद्वारा
(।) िीच ेकी सारणी के स्ट्तम्भ (1) म ेंजर्जिर्िाष्ट अजधकारी को ररटर्ििंग आदिसर के रूप म ेंपिाजभजहत करता है; और
(।।) उि सारणी के स्ट्तम्भ (2) में जर्जिर्िाष्ट अजधकाररयों को ररटर्ििंग आदिसर की उसके कृत्यों के पालि म ें सहायता
के जलए सहायक ररटर्िगिं आदिसर जियुि करता ह।ै
सारणी
ररटर्िगिं आदिसर के रूप म ेंपिाजभजहत अजधकारी सहायक ररटर्िगिं आदिसर के रूप म ेंजियिु अजधकारी
(1) (2)
श्रीमती मेघिा तलेकर, सजचर्-2, महाराष्ट्र 1. श्री मोहि सिाजिर् काकड, उप सजचर्, महाराष्ट्र
जर्धािमंडल सजचर्ालय जर्धािमंडल सजचर्ालय
3881 GI/2026 (1)2 THE GAZETTE OF INDIA : EXTRAORDINARY [PART II—SEC. 3(iii)]
2. श्री सुरेि जिलकंठरार् मोगल, अर्र सजचर्, महाराष्ट्र
जर्धािमंडल सजचर्ालय
[िा. सं. 100/रा.स-महाराष्ट्र/02/2026(2)]
आिेि स,े
सुमि कुमार िास, सजचर्
ELECTION COMMISSION OF INDIA
NOTIFICATION
New Delhi, the 1st June, 2026
O.N. 24(E).— In pursuance of Section 21, and in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section
(1) of Section 22 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 (43 of 1951), the Election Commission, in
consultation with the Government of the State of Maharashtra, hereby-
(i) designates the officer, specified in column (1) of the TABLE below, to be the Returning
Officer; and
(ii) appoints the officers, specified in column (2) of the said TABLE, to be the Assistant Returning
Officers to assist the Returning Officer in the performance of her functions;
in respect of the bye-election to the Council of States, to be held in the State in pursuance of the Commission’s
Notification, published in the Gazette of India on 01st June, 2026: -
TABLE
Officer Designated as Officers Appointed as
Returning Officer Assistant Returning Officers
(1) (2)
Smt. Meghana Talekar, Secretary-2, 1. Shri Mohan Sadashiv Kakad, Deputy Secretary,
Maharashtra Legislature Secretariat Maharashtra Legislature Secretariat
2. Shri Suresh Nilkanthrao Mogal, Under Secretary,
Maharashtra Legislature Secretariat
[F. No. 100/CS-MT/02/2026 (2)]
By order,
SUMAN KUMAR DAS, Secy.
Uploaded by Dte. of Printing at Government of India Press, Ring Road, Mayapuri, New Delhi-110064
and Published by the Controller of Publications, Delhi-110054.