Last Updated:January 12, 2026, 21:18 IST The move follows a request from the Congress, which had written to the Commission seeking a ban on fund distribution once the MCC came into effect. The SEC’s clarification came after it received several complaints following reports that beneficiaries were set to receive Rs 3,000-covering the December and January instalments before January 14 as a Makar Sankranti gift. (Photo: PTI file) The Election Commission on Monday barred the Maharashtra government from transferring funds under the Ladki Bahin scheme into beneficiaries’ bank accounts a day before the civic body polls. The ban applies to the January instalment of the scheme, citing the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) for municipal elections. The SEC’s clarification came after it received several complaints following reports that beneficiaries were set to receive Rs 3,000-covering the December and January instalments before January 14 as a Makar Sankranti gift. The decision also comes amid a political row over the timing of the scheme’s payments. The Congress had written to the SEC requesting a ban …