The Maharashtra State Election Commission has scheduled elections for 12 zilla parishads and 125 panchayat samitis on February 5, with vote counting set for February 7. The zilla parishads include areas like Pune, Satara, Sangli, Solapur, and Kolhapur, among others, falling within the 50% quota limit.
Nominations for these elections will be accepted from January 16 to 21, followed by scrutiny on January 22 and withdrawal by January 27. The SEC disclosed that there are 2.09 crore voters, comprising 1.07 crore male, 1.02 crore female, and 473 others, with a total of 25,482 polling stations.
The SEC’s decision to hold these elections comes after the Supreme Court granted an extension to complete the polls by February 15, beyond the initial January 31 deadline. The Model Code of Conduct is now in effect in the respective areas, prohibiting actions that could influence voters in these local bodies.
Candidates contesting from reserved seats must submit caste certificates and validity certificates along with nomination papers. The delay in these elections is attributed to legal disputes over OBC quotas, following the Supreme Court’s ruling on reservation limits in local bodies. These elections play a significant role in reflecting the grassroots sentiments of rural and semi-urban voters in Maharashtra.
