Mumbai, Feb. 8 -- Elections to 12 Zilla Parishads and 125 Panchayat Samitis in Maharashtra on Saturday recorded a voter turnout of around 52%. The polling percentage was 52.02 till 3.30 pm, an official said, adding that it is likely to cross 68% when the final figures are released by the state election commission on Sunday. Seen as the first major electoral test since deputy CM Ajit Pawar died in a plane crash on January 28. The polls were closely watched for signals on the future direction and unity of the Nationalist Congress Party, whose factions contested in an alliance in their western Maharashtra strongholds. The elections, originally scheduled for February 5, were postponed following Ajit Pawar's death and the subsequent declaration of three days of mourning. Votes will be counted on February 9, after which the model code of conduct will be lifted. Polling was held in Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Pune, Satara, Sangli, Solapur, Kolhapur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Parbhani, Dharashiv, and Latur districts to elect 731 members, for which 2,624 candidates were in the fray. Deputy CM Sunetra Pawar, NCP (SP) leaders Jayant Patil and Rohit Pawar were among the early voters who exercised their franchise after polling commenced at 7.30 am. Sunetra appealed to locals across the state to actively participate in the crucial democratic process for a brighter future. htc...