Election Overview and Turnout
The Maharashtra Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections saw a significant voter turnout of 68.28 percent across 12 districts. Polling occurred on Saturday,
February 7, for 12 Zilla Parishads and 125 Panchayat Samitis, encompassing 731 Zilla Parishad seats and 1,462 Panchayat Samiti seats. A total of 2.09 crore individuals were eligible to cast their ballots, with 1.07 crore men and 1.02 crore women forming the electorate. The elections, originally scheduled for February 5, were rescheduled due to the unfortunate passing of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and the subsequent state mourning period. Counting of votes commenced on Monday morning at 10 am. Among the districts, Parbhani recorded the highest voter participation at 74.89 percent, while Ratnagiri registered the lowest turnout with 55.79 percent. Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar followed with 72.69 percent, and Kolhapur saw a turnout of 74.45 percent.
Contestants and Logistics
The electoral battle involved a substantial number of candidates vying for positions across the Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis. In total, 7,438 individuals contested these elections, with 2,624 candidates running for the 731 Zilla Parishad seats and an additional 4,814 candidates competing for the 1,462 Panchayat Samiti seats. To facilitate the voting process, 25,471 polling stations were established throughout the 12 districts. A considerable workforce of approximately 1.28 lakh personnel was deployed to manage election duties and ensure the smooth conduct of the polls. The eligible electorate comprised 1,06,33,269 men, 1,01,86,965 women, and 468 voters from other gender categories, highlighting the broad participation base for these local governance elections.
Election Day Incidents
While the overall polling process was largely peaceful, a few incidents warranted attention. In Pune district, nine individuals were booked in connection with alleged bogus voting during the Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti polls. One notable event occurred at Jogeshwari Vidyalaya in Kesnand, where concerned citizens apprehended a group of six people, including a woman, suspected of engaging in fraudulent voting practices between 1:30 pm and 4:30 pm. Election officials, upon examining the suspects, allegedly discovered counterfeit Aadhaar and voting cards, leading to their detainment for further investigation. Additionally, an incident in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar involved a Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate reportedly attempting to vandalize a polling booth associated with a BJP-backed rival in Wadgaon Kolhati. Allegations of money distribution fueled the altercation, which was captured on video and showed the candidate arguing and dislodging a plastic chair. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, and the polling continued without further disruption, as no formal complaint was filed.
EVM Discovery in Solapur
An unusual event transpired in Solapur district where two Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were discovered in a private car near an eatery in Mohol town around midnight on Saturday. This discovery prompted accusations of potential tampering from certain political factions. Following the alert, election officials, including the returning officer and tehsildar, alongside police personnel, promptly arrived at the scene to investigate. Preliminary inquiries revealed that the discovered EVMs were designated as 'reserve' machines and had not been utilized during the actual voting on Saturday. Crucially, both machines were found to be in sealed condition. The State Election Commission assured that strict action would be taken against the individuals responsible for the failure to deposit these reserve voting machines on time. However, the commission also clarified that the integrity of the poll process remained uncompromised, as these were surplus machines not part of the vote tabulation.
Early Election Results
As the counting of votes commenced on Monday, February 9, early trends began to emerge, offering a glimpse into the electoral outcomes. In Pune, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) showed a strong performance, taking an early lead with 46 out of 73 seats contested. This indicates a significant advantage for the party in the Pune district's Zilla Parishad elections. Across Maharashtra, the Mahayuti coalition appeared to be leading in a substantial number of seats, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alone crossing the century mark in early trends. In Kolhapur, the Indian National Congress was ahead, securing 12 seats out of the 48 contested. The overall picture suggested that the Mahayuti was leading in 164 seats, while the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) seemed to be trailing, with the Congress securing 24 seats and Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena faction leading in 16 seats. These early results are anticipated to have a notable impact on the political landscape, particularly for the factions of the NCP.
