Zilla Parishad Election : Zilla Parishad and 125 Panchayat Samiti Election on February 7; Administration-Police Ready

The voting process for the election of 12 district councils and 125 panchayat committee members in the state will take place on February 7. Against this backdrop, the official campaign period has ended, and the hustle and bustle of campaigning has now ceased. However, even after the campaign has stopped, candidates are seen trying to reach voters in the final stage through personal meetings, door-to-door contact, and covert campaigning in rural areas.

This election includes 12 districts: Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Pune, Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur, Solapur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Parbhani, Dharashiv, and Latur. In all these districts, members of the district council along with members of the panchayat committee will be elected. These elections are considered extremely important from the perspective of rural self-governance institutions, and the plan for local development for the next five years will be determined through this election.

The district administration, police machinery, and election staff are fully prepared to ensure that the election process is conducted peacefully and transparently. Strict police arrangements have been deployed at sensitive and highly sensitive polling stations to maintain law and order. Additional police forces, home guards, and rapid response teams have been deployed at some locations.

Today, ballot boxes, voter lists, and other necessary election materials will be distributed at polling stations in all districts. Transport arrangements and appropriate security measures have been made to ensure polling staff reach the polling stations on time. The administration has informed that election officials and inspectors will closely monitor the entire process.

Although campaigning has stopped, political movements in rural areas have not ceased. Candidates and their supporters are trying to sway voters to their side through personal contact, small meetings, and social events. Special teams have been formed by the administration to ensure that the election code of conduct is not violated, and covert campaigning is being monitored.

In this election, independent candidates along with various parties have filed nominations in large numbers. Therefore, there is a possibility of a tough contest in many places. Issues like farmers' problems, water supply, roads, health, education, and employment have remained central in this election. After the voting on February 7, the political equations in rural areas will become clear, and everyone's attention is on the results. It will be interesting to see which side the rural power's verdict favors in this election.