Mumbai: A total of 547 Gram Panchayats in 16 districts of Maharashtra held elections on Sunday, the results for which are to be declared on Monday. The counting of votes started at 10 am on Monday.
The results so far indicate that the BJP and the Shinde-led Shiv Sena are leading in the fray, while NCP has taken a backseat though there are speculations that it might pace up as the counting progresses. These are the first elections that the Shinde-Fadnavis alliance is contesting after recently forming a government in the state.
As per the preliminary estimates, the voters' turnout was recorded at 76 percent, wherein voting was held for the posts of Gram Panchayat members as well as the village Sarpanch.
The State Election Commission had announced the general elections for 608 Gram Panchayats on August 12, 2022. However, 51 of the total 608 Gram Panchayats had no opposition, thereby declaring the elections null here. The rest of the 547 Gram Panchayats held the elections on Sunday between 7.30 am and 5.30 pm. An average of 66.10 percent voting was recorded till 3.30 pm. Some places had queues of voters formed till late in the evening at voting centers.
