Real Estate Maharashtra
Maharashtra Postpones Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti Polls Due to Ajit Pawar's Death
By GeoSquare News Desk · Published 2026-01-29
The State Election Commission (SEC) of Maharashtra has announced the postponement of polling and counting dates for the general elections to 12 Zilla Parishads and 125 Panchayat Samitis. This decision comes in the wake of the accidental death of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and the subsequent declaration of three days of state mourning.
As per the revised schedule, polling, which was originally set for February 5, 2026, will now take place on February 7, 2026. The counting of votes, initially scheduled for February 7, 2026, will now commence on February 9, 2026.
The SEC had initially announced the election program for these Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis on January 13, 2026. All preliminary stages of the election process, including the filing and withdrawal of nominations, the allotment of election symbols, and the publication of the final list of contesting candidates, have already been completed. The remaining stages include polling, the counting of votes, and the publication of the names of elected members in the government gazette.
The Supreme Court had granted a two-week extension beyond January 31, 2026, to complete the election process. However, the accidental death of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on January 28, 2026, led the state government to declare state mourning from January 28 to January 30, 2026. Taking this period into consideration, the SEC decided to revise the remaining stages of the election schedule.
According to the updated election program, district collectors will publish the revised schedule on January 31, 2026. Polling will be conducted on February 7, 2026, from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm. Consequently, the deadline for election campaigning will end at 10 pm on February 5, 2026.
Counting of votes will begin at 10 am on February 9, 2026, at the designated counting centers. After the declaration of results, the Model Code of Conduct will no longer be in effect in the respective areas. The names of the elected members will be published in the Official Government Gazette by February 11, 2026, as per the SEC's announcement.
This rescheduling is a testament to the State Election Commission's commitment to ensuring a respectful and dignified period of mourning while maintaining the integrity and smooth conduct of the electoral process.