India, Nov. 5 -- After a gap of five years, Maharashtra will conduct local body elections on December 2, marking the first major statewide electoral exercise since the Mahayuti alliance's sweep in last year's Assembly polls. The elections will cover 246 municipal councils and 42 nagar parishads across the state.

The Model Code of Conduct has come into force in all areas where elections are to be held, restricting the government from taking any new policy decisions affecting these regions until the results are declared.

The announcement comes against the backdrop of strong Opposition protests alleging irregularities in the July 1 voter list being used for the polls. Opposition parties have demanded that the elections be postponed until t...