After the unfortunate demise of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, the entire state of Maharashtra has been plunged into mourning. In this difficult time, the state government has announced three days of official mourning. However, sources indicate that this will have no impact on the process of the upcoming local self-government elections.
Ajit Pawar’s sudden demise has created a major void in the state’s political landscape. The state government has declared official mourning from January 28 to January 30. This led to a question in the public mind: will the upcoming Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections be postponed due to this mourning period?
What do the Election Commission rules say?According to senior sources in the Election Commission, the elections will be conducted as per the scheduled timeline. There has been no change in the polling scheduled for February 5, 2026, or the vote counting on February 7.
The Election Act does not contain any explicit provision to cancel elections if a person holding a high constitutional or political office passes away during the campaign period. Elections are postponed only if a candidate in the concerned constituency dies.
The official mourning period ends on January 30, while polling is scheduled five days later, on February 5. Therefore, technically, there is no need to change the dates.
Powers of the District CollectorUnder the Election Act, District Collectors have the authority to change polling dates in certain special circumstances. If a change is deemed necessary in the public interest, the District Collector can submit a proposal to the State Election Commission.
However, such a change must be made at least seven days prior to the polling date. Dates are altered only if an official state or national mourning is in effect on the actual day of polling.
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