Maharashtra civic elections: Zilla Parishad, Panchayat Samiti polls on February 16, 21

Mumbai: Nearly 10 crore voters will exercise their franchise in a two-phased election to 10 municipal corporations, 25 Zilla Parishads and 283 Panchayat Samitis across the state, Maharashtra's State Election Commissioner (SEC) Jageshwar S. Saharia announced here on Wednesday.

Polling in 15 Zilla Parishads and 165 Panchayat Samitis will be held on February 16 and elections to the remaining Zilla Parishads, 118 Panchayat Samitis and 10 top Municipal Corporations on February 21, the SEC said at a press conference.

The counting for all the elections will take place simultaneously on February 23 and the results are likely to be declared the same day, Saharia added.

The much anticipated, high-stakes elections will cover 25 of the state's 36 districts with the participation of nearly 85 per cent of the electorate spread across 246 out of 288 assembly segments.

The code of conduct for all the elections comes into immediate effect, Saharia declared.