Why new Maharashtra rules give CM Devendra Fadnavis veto power over any minister

The Maharashtra government recently introduced new rules that grant Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis the authority to override any decision made by a minister, provided the decision is in the public interest and the reason for doing so is documented in writing. This provision is part of the Maharashtra Government Rules of Business, 2026, which replaced the 1975 regulations on government business.

The move came three years after the Bombay High Court ruled that the Chief Minister did not have the power to review or modify a decision made by a minister under the previous rules. The amended rules now explicitly allow for such intervention by the Chief Minister in any minister's decision, except in judicial matters.