Counting of votes for elections to 12 Zilla Parishads and 125 Panchayat Samitis in Maharashtra began on Monday morning, marking a crucial moment in the state’s local body electoral process. The exercise commenced at 10 am amid tight security arrangements, election officials said.
The polls, which were originally scheduled to be held on February 5, were postponed to February 7 following the death of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash and the subsequent three days of state mourning. The rescheduled voting witnessed a turnout of 68.28 per cent, with nearly 2.08 crore voters exercising their franchise across the state.
The elections covered 12 Zilla Parishads — Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Pune, Satara, Sangli, Solapur, Kolhapur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Parbhani, Dharashiv, and Latur — where 731 members are to be elected. In addition, polling was held for 1,462 seats across 125 Panchayat Samitis functioning under these district councils.
Also Read: ICC Holds Crucial Lahore Talks to Resolve Pakistan-India T20 World Cup 2026 Standoff
A total of 2,624 candidates contested the Zilla Parishad elections, while 4,814 candidates were in the fray for the Panchayat Samiti polls, reflecting an intense and competitive electoral landscape. Voters cast two separate ballots — a white ballot paper for the Zilla Parishad constituency and a pink ballot paper for the Panchayat Samiti electoral division.
The elections are being viewed as the first major political test in Maharashtra since the tragic death of Ajit Pawar. Observers are closely tracking the results for indications of the future trajectory and internal cohesion of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), whose rival factions contested these polls together in several regions.
The factions led by the late Ajit Pawar and party founder Sharad Pawar had temporarily set aside their rivalry to form an informal alliance in western Maharashtra strongholds such as Pune, Satara, Solapur, and Sangli. The outcome of the counting is expected to play a significant role in shaping political alignments and strategies ahead of future elections in the state.
Also Read: N Chandrasekaran Backs TCS AI Pivot Acquisitions Upskilling Push