Maharashtra Election | Big Update: Zilla Parishad–Panchayat Samiti Polling and Results Postponed, Key Dates Revised
Mumbai : The Maharashtra State Election Commission has announced a revision in the election schedule for the general elections to 12 Zilla Parishads and 125 Panchayat Samitis in the state. In view of the three-day state mourning declared recently, the Commission has decided to defer both polling and counting dates.
Accordingly, polling scheduled for February 5 will now be held on February 7, 2026, while counting of votes has been rescheduled to February 9, 2026.
The State Election Commission had earlier released the detailed election programme on January 13, 2026. As per that schedule, the processes of filing nominations, withdrawal of nominations, allotment of election symbols, and publication of the final list of candidates have already been completed. However, polling, counting of votes, and publication of the names of elected members in the official gazette were still pending.
Schedule Revised Due to State Mourning
Following the demise of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on January 28, the state government declared three days of mourning from January 28 to January 30, 2026. As per the guidelines, no public events were to be held during this period, necessitating changes to the remaining stages of the election process.
Supreme Court Deadline Considered
In matters related to the Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections, the Supreme Court of India had granted only a two-week extension beyond January 31, 2026. Hence, it was essential for the Election Commission to complete the process within the stipulated timeframe. Taking all these factors into account, the Commission decided to revise the polling and counting dates.
Revised Election Programme
As per the Commission’s directions, the concerned District Collectors will issue the official notification of the revised election schedule on January 31, 2026. Voting will now take place on February 7, 2026, from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Campaign Deadline and Counting
Under the revised programme, campaigning will end on February 5 at 10:00 p.m. Counting of votes will begin on February 9, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. Once the results are declared, the Model Code of Conduct in the respective areas will be lifted with immediate effect.
Publication in the Official Gazette
After completion of the counting process, the names of the elected Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti members will be published in the Government Gazette by February 11, 2026. With this, the entire election process is expected to conclude by the second week of February.
