The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 4 letter word DUMA
D
U
M
A
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Elected council" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case elected council = duma.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does DUMA mean?
DUMA noun- A Russian legislative assembly such as the historical duma of the Russian Empire or the modern lower house of the Federal Assembly (the Russian national parliament).
- A drink mixing wine and vodka.