Maharashtra Gram Panchayat elections 2021: Counting of votes begins

The results of the 12,711 Gram Panchayat elections in 34 districts of the state will be released on Monday. The counting of votes for the Maharashtra gram panchayat polls began today (18 January) at 8 am. 

The elections to 12,711 gram panchayats spread across 34 districts in Maharashtra saw on average 79 percent voting on Friday, State Election Commissioner UPS Madan said.

The gram panchayats are considered the third tier of governance. Elections for them are not held on party lines, using party symbols. Candidates are allotted election symbols from a list of free symbols. Candidates are allotted election symbols from a list of free symbols.

The poll panel had earlier this week canceled the election process in Umrane and Khondamali gram panchayats in Nashik and Nandurbar districts, respectively, after it received evidence of auctioning of posts of sarpanchs and other members.

The commission also said that voting for 162 gram panchayats in six talukas of Gadchiroli, a Naxal-hit district, will be held on 20 January.