Maharashtra’s Ladki Bahin Yojana Payment Held Up Ahead of Local Body Elections; Maha-Unity Faces 36-Hour Countdown

Mumbai, Maharashtra: The Maharashtra government’s advance payment of January installments under the Ladki Bahin Yojana has been put on hold following objections from the Congress and other opposition parties, leaving the ruling Maha-Unity (BJP-Shiv Sena alliance) with only 36 hours to navigate a critical electoral challenge. The state can now only release the December installment to beneficiaries, though even this remains uncertain.

The Election Commission intervened ahead of voting for the 29 municipal corporations on January 15, prohibiting the government from crediting January’s advance installment into beneficiaries’ accounts. This decision delivers a minor setback to the ruling alliance, which had relied on the popular scheme to mobilize women voters, having successfully leveraged it in the 2024 Assembly elections. Maharashtra has approximately 2.3 crore women beneficiaries under this scheme. Officials believe releasing the December installment before polling could still act as a “game-changer” for the ruling coalition.

Women Voters as Decisive Electoral Force

The strategy of appealing to women voters through direct financial transfers has been employed in multiple states. In Bihar, under the Chief Minister’s Women Employment Scheme, 21 lakh women were credited with ₹10,000 each, aiding the NDA’s victory. Similarly, promises in Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, and Jharkhand have swayed electoral outcomes. In Maharashtra, the Ladki Bahin scheme helped the Maha-Unity secure a decisive victory in 2024, and the alliance now hopes to repeat the success in municipal elections.

Payment Plan and Challenges

Initially, the government planned to credit ₹3,000 for December and January installments on Makar Sankranti (January 14). However, the Election Commission’s model code of conduct, effective since November 4, 2025, restricts financial disbursements during the election period, allowing only pre-approved expenditures. Consequently, only December’s installment of ₹1,500 is expected to reach beneficiaries’ accounts, possibly on January 14.

Delays in the January payment may create political friction, particularly for the Congress and UBT, who opposed the scheme’s pre-election disbursement. Additionally, incomplete KYC processes for about 45 lakh beneficiaries could further complicate payments, potentially affecting the BJP’s electoral calculations. Nevertheless, the December installment could still influence women voters positively ahead of polling.