AHILYANAGAR

Ahilyanagar district's establishment can be traced back to the aftermath of the defeat of the Maratha Empire during the Third Anglo-Maratha War in 1818. It was part of the Central division of the Bombay Presidency. After 1947, it became a part of the Bombay State. With the implementation of the Bombay Reorganisation Act of 1960, the Bombay State was further divided into Gujarat and Maharashtra, and the region of Ahmednagar was included in the state of Maharashtra. In March 2024 Ahmednagar district was renamed as Ahilyanagar, after the 18th-century Maratha queen Ahilyabai Holkar.

The Ahilyanagar district consists of the Lok Sabha constituencies: Ahmednagar and Shirdi. The following Vidhan Sabha segments are included:

Within the Vidhan Parishad, the Ahilyanagar district is represented by the Ahmednagar Local Bodies Authorities Constituency, the Nashik Teachers’ Constituency, and the Nashik Graduates Constituency. The Graduates and Teachers’ Constituencies are based on the administrative divisions of Maharashtra.

The given maps provide an overview of the boundaries of the Ahilyanagar district and the Vidhan Sabha and Lok Sabha Constituencies that fall within and around it.

Based on records from the delimitation reports by the Election Commission, the given chart provides an overview of the changes that have occurred in the composition of the Lok Sabha constituency of Ahmednagar and the reshuffling of the Vidhan Sabha constituencies with every delimitation that has been done. The given chart provides an overview of the changes that have occurred in the composition of the Ahilyanagar Lok Sabha constituency and the reshuffling of the Vidhan Sabha constituencies with every delimitation that has been done.

The following table lists the current Members of Parliament (MP) representing Ahilyanagar district in the Lok Sabha, as of 2024:

The table below presents the current Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Ahilyanagar district, as of 2024:

There is no member from the Ahilyanagar district currently in the Rajya Sabha.

The current Guardian Minister for Ahilyanagar district, as of 2024, is:

The following table lists representatives of the Vidhan Parishad constituencies that include Ahilyanagar district, as of 2024:

The following are the key administrative officials of Ahilyanagar district, as of 2024:

Ahilyanagar district has a total of 17 Urban Local Bodies as of 2025, comprising 1 Mahanagar Palika, 10 Nagar Parishads (Municipal Councils), 5 Nagar Panchayats (Town Councils), and 1 Cantonment Board. In the rural areas, the district is governed by 1311 Gram Panchayats and 14 Panchayat Samitis, which play a vital role in local administration and development.

The Ahilyanagar Zilla Parishad was established on 2 May 1962. It operates under the framework laid out by the Assembly, District Council, and Panchayat and Panchayat Samiti Act, 1961. The Zilla Parishad is responsible for planning and implementing development schemes, managing education and healthcare at the village level, and coordinating the activities of Panchayat Samitis.

The establishment of the Ahilyanagar Municipal Corporation in 2003 marked an important development for the region. It's interesting to note that Mr. Bhagvan Fulsoundar of Shiv Sena became the first mayor of Ahilyanagar. Shiv Sena's presence in the power seat for four terms highlights its influence. Additionally, the involvement of other major parties like INC, BJP, and NCP in winning the mayor's post shows the political diversity in the corporation's history.

The Ahilyanagar Municipal Corporation was established in 2003, marking a significant milestone in the region’s urban development. Bhagvan Fulsoundar of the Shiv Sena served as the first mayor, reflecting the party’s strong presence in the city’s early municipal politics. Over the years, Shiv Sena has held the mayoral post for four terms, underscoring its influence. At the same time, parties such as the INC, BJP, and NCP have also successfully contested the mayor’s post, reflecting the political diversity of the Corporation’s electoral history.

There are 5 Nagar Panchayats in the district, functioning as civic administrative bodies for emerging urban areas. These include the Akole Nagar Panchayat, Karjat Nagar Panchayat, Newasa Nagar Panchayat, Parner Nagar Panchayat, and Shirdi Nagar Panchayat.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha election, there were a total of 25 contestants from Ahmednagar and 20 from Shirdi. Seven contestants from Ahmednagar & 2 contestants from Shirdi had criminal cases against them, with 4 of the candidates from Ahmednagar and 1 of the candidates from Shirdi having serious cases registered.

The contestants with the highest number of criminal cases registered from both Lok Sabhas were independent candidates and had 4 cases registered against them. The elected Ahmednagar MP, Nilesh Dnyandev Lanke, has 2 criminal cases against him and belongs to the Nationalist Congress Party – Sharadchandra Pawar. The elected Shirdi MP, Bhausaheb Rajaram Wakchaure, has no criminal case against him and is from Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray).

In July 2016, a tragic incident occurred in Kopardi, Ahilyanagar district. A 15-year-old girl was brutally gang-raped and subsequently murdered by three men. The brutality of the crime was horrifying, as the victim had endured severe torture. Her hair had been forcibly pulled out, her limbs and teeth were broken, and there were bite marks on her body. The victim, a Class 9 student, belonged to the Maratha community. In response to this heinous crime, silent marches were organized by the Marathas across the state of Maharashtra. These marches aimed to demand a swift and thorough investigation, as well as a speedy trial for the accused.

The case drew significant attention and had a profound impact on the Maharashtra Assembly during the Monsoon Session. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis assured the public that the accused had been apprehended and that the matter would be expedited in a fast-track court. To ensure proper legal representation, the government appointed Adv. Ujwal Nikam was the special public prosecutor for this case.

On 7 April 2018, Sanjay Kotkar, deputy chief of Shiv Sena’s Ahilyanagar unit, and his close associate and Sena worker Vasant Thube were killed hours after the result of a civic bypoll was announced in Kedgaon village of Ahilyanagar district. Vishal Kotkar, a Congress party candidate, won the bypoll by a narrow margin against an SHS nominee. Within hours of this, Kotkar and Thube, who were riding a motorbike, were chased and killed. On Sunday, the police arrested the NCP MLA from Ahilyanagar city, Sangram Jagtap, booked Sangram Jagtap’s father, Arun, an ex-NCP Member of the Legislative Council (MLC), and arrested 30 other people.