Maharashtra ZP Election 2026: New Voting Date and Full Schedule

The long wait for local body elections in Maharashtra is finally ending. After a delay of nearly three years, the State Election Commission (SEC) has officially announced the schedule for the Zilla Parishad (ZP) and Panchayat Samiti elections for 2026.

However, there is a slight change in the dates. Due to the sudden declaration of state mourning, the commission has revised the voting and counting schedule by two days. This article covers the confirmed dates, the reason for the delay, and what voters need to know.

ZP Election Maharashtra 2026: Confirmed Dates

The State Election Commission originally scheduled the polls for early February. However, following a recent government notification regarding state mourning, the timeline has been shifted.

Here is the revised schedule for the 12 Zilla Parishads and 125 Panchayat Samitis:

• Voting Date: February 7, 2026 (Saturday)
• Counting of Votes: February 9, 2026 (Monday)
• Completion of Process: February 11, 2026

Note: The previous date was February 5, 2026. If you have received old pamphlets or WhatsApp messages mentioning the 5th, please ignore them. The correct voting date is February 7.

Read more: Economic Survey 2026

Why Was the Election Postponed?

The elections were stalled since 2022, primarily due to legal battles over OBC (Other Backward Class) reservations in local bodies.

• Supreme Court Order: In late 2025, the Supreme Court pulled up the state administration for the delays. The Court set a strict deadline, ordering that all local body elections, including Zilla Parishads, must be completed by January 31, 2026 (with a minor extension granted later for logistics).
• State Mourning: Just days before the polling, the State Government declared a three-day mourning period due to the demise of a senior state leader. This forced the Election Commission to push the polling date from Feb 5 to Feb 7 to respect the mourning protocols.

Background: The 3-Year Delay

These elections are crucial because they have been pending for a long time. The terms of many local bodies ended in 2022. Since then, “Administrators” have been running the Zilla Parishads.

The delay happened because of:

1. OBC Reservation: Petitions were filed in the Supreme Court demanding a dedicated quota for OBCs.
2. Ward Restructuring: There were disputes over how election wards were drawn (delimitation).

Now that the legal hurdles are cleared and the voter lists (finalized as of July 2025) are ready, the democratic process is back on track.

Why This Election Matters

Zilla Parishads are often called the “Mini-Mantralaya” (Mini-Secretariat) of the district. They control huge budgets for rural development, including:

• Village roads and water supply.
• Primary education and health centers (PHCs).
• Agriculture schemes for farmers.

For the ruling state government and the opposition, this election is a major “litmus test” to see who has the support of rural Maharashtra before the bigger state or general elections.

Model Code of Conduct

With the announcement of the dates, the Model Code of Conduct is currently in force in the respective districts.

• No new government schemes can be announced.
• Ministers cannot use official vehicles for campaigning.
• Campaigning must stop 48 hours before voting begins (i.e., by 10 PM on February 5, 2026).

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)