A total of 7,438 candidates contested 731 Zilla Parishad and 1,462 Panchayat Samiti seats, with over 2 crore eligible voters. The electorate comprised 1,06,33,269 men, 1,01,86,965 women and 468 voters from other categories. As many as 25,471 polling stations were set up and around 1.28 lakh personnel deployed for election duty. The elections, originally scheduled for February 5, were postponed following the death of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash and the subsequent declaration of state mourning.

Meanwhile, an incident was reported from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar during polling. A Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate allegedly tried to vandalise a booth set up by a BJP-backed rival in the Wadgaon Kolhati area after suspecting distribution of money. A video showed the Sena (UBT) nominee arguing and throwing a plastic chair. Police said no one was injured, no complaint was lodged, and polling continued peacefully.

Maharashtra Zilla Parishad Election Results 2026 LIVE Updates: At least nine persons have been booked in separate cases of bogus voting during the Zilla Parishad (ZP) and Panchayat Samiti elections in Pune district, police said. In one incident, citizens nabbed a group of six persons, including a woman, on suspicion of bogus voting at a polling centre at Jogeshwari Vidyalaya in Kesnand between 1.30 pm and 4.30 pm on Friday. Election officials checked the suspects at the spot and informed the police after allegedly recovering fake Aadhaar cards and voting cards from them. The suspects were taken into custody for investigation.

Two Electronic Voting Machines were found in a car near an eatery in Maharashtra's Solapur district, with the State Election Commission on Sunday promising strict action in the matter while clarifying that the sanctity of the poll process was maintained as these were "reserve" devices.

Elections to 12 Zilla Parishads, including in Solapur, and 125 Panchayat Samitis were held in Maharashtra on Saturday.

Around midnight on Saturday, two EVMs were found in a car, hired for an official on election duty, near Hotel Swarajya in Mohol town, prompting a few political parties to level allegations of tampering.

Raising questions tied to transparency in the poll process, an NCP candidate subsequently demanded a thorough probe into the discovery.

After being alerted, the election returning officer, tehsildar, and police personnel rushed to the spot, an official said.

During an inquiry, it emerged that the EVMs were "reserve" ones and had not been used for voting on Saturday, he said. Both machines were in sealed condition, he said.

All EVMs used to record votes were deposited in the strong room by 10.30 pm on Saturday, the official said.

The Maharashtra State Election Commission said strict action will be taken against those responsible for failing to deposit reserve voting machines on time in Mohol.

It, however, clarified that no irregularity or malpractice occurred during polling since these were reserve EVMs.

Polling for 12 Zilla Parishads and 125 Panchayat Samitis in 12 districts of Maharashtra began on a slow note on Saturday, registering a voter turnout of around 52 per cent. Election officials said the final figure of voting would be available by late evening or by early Sunday morning. The polling was peaceful and there were fewer complaints relating to bogus voting or ”errors” in EVMs. The counting of votes will be done on Monday.

“By 3.30 pm, the average voting per centage was around 52 per cent. It is expected to be between 65 and 70 per cent by 5.30 pm. Since there were long queues of voters even after 5.30 pm, the availability of voting percentage has been delayed at most places,” an election official said.

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