Maharashtra ZP Election Voting, Voter Turnout Highlights: Following the conclusion of the high-profile Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, the focus now shifts to Maharashtra’s rural heartland. Starting at 7:30 AM today, millions of voters across 12 districts will exercise their franchise to elect representatives for 12 Zilla Parishads (ZPs) and 125 Panchayat Samitis.
Furthermore, in an effort to encourage higher turnout, the state government has declared a public holiday across all the poll-bound constituencies.
The elections, originally slated for February 5, were postponed by the SEC following the state government’s declaration of a three-day mourning period for the death of Maharashtra’s former deputy CM Ajit Pawar.
Revised election timetable
The decision to shift the polling date came in the wake of the sudden demise of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on January 28, which led to a state-wide mourning period from January 28 to January 30.
Pawar died in a plane crash on January 28, 2026. The crash had resulted in the death of 4 other people including his security detail and the complete flight crew on board.
Following Ajit’s demise, his wife Sunetra Pawar took oath as the new Deputy CM of Maharashtra.
Under the revised schedule, the public campaign phase concluded on February 5 at 10:00 PM. While the polling is set for February 7, the counting of votes will now take place on February 9, 2026, with results expected to be declared the same day.
This election cycle covers 12 Zilla Parishads and 125 Panchayat Samitis which are spread across the state. Some of the panchayats and samitis are also located in high-stakes regions such as Pune, Kolhapur, Sangli, and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
Polling Day: Timings and voter guidelines
A public holiday has been announced on February 7 to encourage voter-turnout in several of the poll bound regions of the state. Poll bound regions include: Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Pune, Satara, Sangli, Solapur, Kolhapur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Parbhani, Dharashiv, and Latur.
Approximately 25,482 polling stations have been established. Special provisions including ramps, wheelchairs, and separate queues have been mandated for senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PwD).
Beyond the immediate administrative task, these “mini-assembly” elections are being viewed by analysts as a litmus test for the ruling and opposition alliances in Maharashtra. With the rural economy and local governance at the forefront, the February 7 vote will likely set the tone for the state’s broader political trajectory in 2026.
Maharashtra ZP Election Voting: Vilas Bhumre clarifies viral claim on son pressing EVM button
MLA Vilas Bhumre has made a statement after being criticised for taking his young son with him to the polling booth while he voted. He said the kid is very young and doesn't know how an EVM works. Bhumre said that he only marked his son's finger with ink and that he himself voted, as reported by Loksatta.
Maharashtra ZP Election Voting: Raigad records 26.93% turnout till 11:30 am
The district had a 26.93% turnout by 11:30 am. Today, people are voting for 59 Zilla Parishad seats in Raigad. There wasn't much rush in the morning, but later in the day there were a lot of people at the polls, and lines were visible at most of them, as per ABP.
Maharashtra ZP Election Voting: MLA Vilas Bhumre casts vote with son
MLA Vilas Bhumre voted at a polling place in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar during the Zilla Parishad elections in 2026. He took his young son with him. Vilas Bhumre, the father of Shiv Sena (Shinde) MP Sandipan Bhumre, took his son with him to the voting booth, where the child was seen pushing the EVM button while voting. The event has gotten a lot of attention and sparked concern about it, as per Loksatta.
Maharashtra ZP Election Voting: BJP names Ritu Tawde for Mumbai Mayor; Sena’s Sanjay Ghadi picked as deputy mayor
Amit Satam, the president of the Mumbai BJP, has named Ritu Tawde as the party's candidate for mayor of Mumbai. The Shiv Sena has put up Sanjay Ghadi as its candidate for Deputy Mayor in the Mahayuti alliance.
Maharashtra ZP Election Voting: Early voter count reported at Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
Early polling trends from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar show that a fair number of people voted in all talukas until 9:30 a.m.
Soygaon had the most people vote, with 9.01% of the total. Sambhajinagar came in second with 8.64%, and Gangapur came in third with 8.31%. Phulambri had a turnout of 7.75%, and Paithan had a turnout of 6.95%. Khultabad recorded the lowest turnout of the listed talukas, with only 5.06% of people voting, according to Maharashtra Times.
Maharashtra ZP Election Voting: Security has bene tightened at 211 polling booths, says Senior Police Inspector Narayan Deshmukh
Senior Police Inspector Narayan Deshmukh of Yavat police station stated that polling is underway across Pune rural district and started at 7:30 am. He also added that security has been tightened at 211 polling under his jurisdiction. Additional deployment at locations with more booths, sector patrolling across 11 areas. He appealed the voters, saying, “Voters are also urged not to carry mobile phone into polling booths and to exercise their right to vote…Security arrangements are strong,” as quoted by ANI.
Maharashtra ZP Election Voting: Maharashtra Deputy CM Sunetra Pawar votes in Baramati
Maharashtra Deputy Sunetra Pawar cast her vote for the Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections.
Maharashtra ZP Election Voting: NCP-SCP recalls Ajit Pawar
NCP-SCP leader Rohit Pawar on Saturday remembered former Deputy Chief Minister and NCP Chief Ajit Pawar amid the polls on Saturday. he recalled that the late leader had always actively participated in the campaigning for his party and karyakartas.
"Zila Parishad elections are being held in 12 districts of the state. Voting has been going on since 7.30 am. Dada (Ajit Pawar) would actively participate in election campaigning and stand up for his party and the karyakartas... Unfortunately, Dada is not among us anymore... Dada always wanted his karyakartas to be elected to power," Rohit Pawar told ANI.
"Even today, if you look at it, if my grandfather were alive, he would still be going to every district, making efforts to select and bring forward his party workers. When we used to talk, and the discussion was about tickets or election symbols, his only thought was that his party workers win by being elected, and his party should come to power through their strength. I have cast my vote. I hope Dada's wishes for his party and karyakartas, and for his constituency, are fulfilled... In the last 10 days and for the coming 3 days, no political discussion has been or will be held in our family..." he added.
Maharashtra ZP Election Voting: BJP MLA Rahul Kula cast his votes
BJP MLA Rahul Kul and his wife Kanchan voted in Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections
Maharashtra ZP Election Voting: Rohit Pawar votes in Baramati: recalls Ajit Pawar
Rohit Pawar, the head of the NCP-SCP, stated to ANI that voting for the Zilla Parishad elections has been going on since 7:30 am in 12 districts of Maharashtra. After voting, Pawar remembered Ajit Pawar and said, "Unfortunately, Dada is no longer with us." He also said that Ajit Pawar would have campaigned hard and stood with party workers. Pawar said he hopes Dada's wishes for his party, karyakartas, and constituency come true.
Maharashtra ZP Election Voting: BJP MLA Gopichand Padalkar casts vote in Padalkarwadi
The BJP MLA Gopichand Padalkar voted in the Panchayat Samiti and Sangli Zilla Parishad elections in the village of Padalkarwadi in Atpadi taluka. He went to the polls with his mother, Hirabai Padalkar, and party workers to vote. After voting, Padalkar told people to come out in large numbers and vote, as per ABP.
Maharashtra ZP Election Voting: EVM glitches hit early voters in multiple areas
The first hour of voting saw voters facing EVM glitches in multiple parts of the state.
According to updates shared by ABP Majha, voting was delayed in Karad after the machine stopped working. The zonal officer had reportedly arrived at the polling station in Chachegaon and the machine at booth 78 was closed.
A separate incident saw the EVM machine being changed at a Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar polling station as the queue of voters steadily increased. The machine in Waluj had been glitching and reportedly failed to make sounds as voters tried to cast their ballots.
Maharashtra ZP Election Voting: Polling begins across 12 districts
Polling is now underway for 12 Zilla Parishads and 125 Panchayat Samitis across Maharashtra. Elections to most local bodies in Maharashtra have been pending since 2022.
The polls were originally scheduled for February 5. But it was postponed following the death of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in an air crash on January 28 and the subsequent declaration of three days of state mourning.
Maharashtra ZP Election Voting: Polls for 12 Zilla Parishads, 125 Panchayat Samitis to begin shortly
Elections to 12 Zilla Parishads and 125 Panchayat Samitis in Maharashtra will be held on Saturday. A total of 7,438 candidates are in the fray for 731 Zilla Parishad (ZP) and 1,462 Panchayat Samiti seats. Polls will be held across Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Pune, Satara, Sangli, Solapur, Kolhapur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Parbhani, Dharashiv and Latur districts.
The election was originally scheduled for February 5, but it was postponed following the death of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in an air crash on January 28 and the subsequent declaration of three days of state mourning.
Voting will start at 7.30 am on Saturday and conclude at 5.30 pm. Counting of votes will begin at 10 am on February 9.