BHANDARA

Once part of the Maha Kosala kingdom, Rajput kingdom, and Gond kingdom, Bhandara district derives its name from "Bhannara or Bhilthana." The region also witnessed the rule of kingdoms like the Bhonsale and the Peshwas, among others. During the British period, this region was part of the Madhya Pradesh region. However, with the reorganization of states in 1956, Bhandara was transferred from Madhya Pradesh to the Bombay Province. After the formation of Maharashtra in 1960, Bhandara became a district in the state. On 1 May 1999, the erstwhile Bhandara district was divided, giving rise to a new district, Gondia.

The Bhandara district consists of the joint Bhandara-Gondiya Lok Sabha constituency. The Vidhan Sabha segments of this constituency are spread out equally across the districts of Bhandara and Gondiya.

Within the Vidhan Parishad, the Bhandara District is represented by Bhandara-Gondia Local Bodies Authorities Constituency, the Nagpur Teachers’ Constituency, and the Nagpur 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 Bhandara district and the Vidhan Sabha and Lok Sabha Constituencies that fall within and around it.

The Bhandara-Gondiya Lok Sabha constituency was formed after the latest delimitation round in 2002. Before that, the district comprised Bhandara Lok Sabha constituency.

The given chart provides an overview of the changes that have occurred in the composition of the Bhandara Lok Sabha constituency and the reshuffling of the Vidhan Sabha constituencies with every delimitation that has been done.

The following is the current Member of Parliament (MP) representing Bhandara district in the Lok Sabha, as of 2024:

The following are the current Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) representing constituencies in Bhandara and Gondia districts, as of 2024:

There is no member from the Bhandara district currently representing Maharashtra in the Rajya Sabha.

The following is the current Guardian Minister for Bhandara district, as of 2024:

The following table lists the current Members of the Maharashtra Vidhan Parishad representing Bhandara district through various constituencies, as of 2024:

The following are the key administrative heads of Bhandara district, as of 2024:

There are 7 Urban Local Bodies in the Bhandara District: 4 Nagar Parishad, 3 Nagar Panchayat. There are 541 Gram Panchayats and 7 Panchayat Samiti.

Zilla Parishad Bhandara was established in 1962 along with 13 Panchayat Samitis. In 1999, the Bhandara district was bifurcated into 2 districts, and a new district with its headquarters in Gondia was created. There are a total of 52 seats.

Bhandara Nagar Parishad, Pauni Nagar Parishad, Sakoli Nagar Parishad, and Tumsar Nagar Parishad are the four Municipal Councils in Bhandara district. These councils are responsible for local governance, civic amenities, and infrastructure development within their respective urban areas.

Bhandara district has three Nagar Panchayats: Lakhandur Nagar Panchayat, Lakhni Nagar Panchayat, and Mohadi Nagar Panchayat. These smaller urban bodies handle essential services and administrative functions in semi-urban areas.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha election, there were a total of 18 contestants from the Bhandara-Gondiya Lok Sabha constituency. Out of which, there were 2 contestants that had criminal cases against them, with both of the candidates having serious cases registered.

The elected MP, Prashant Yadaorao Padole, has no criminal cases against him.

In the 2019 Vidhan Sabha election, there were a total of 77 contestants from the Vidhan Sabha constituencies of Bhandara-Gondiya Lok Sabha. Out of which, 19 contestants had criminal cases against them. However, none of them had any serious cases registered. The political parties, INC and BJP, had the highest number of candidates with criminal cases.

From the elected MLAs, 5 have serious criminal cases registered against them. Nana Patole from the Sakoli Vidhan Sabha constituency has the highest number of criminal cases. The only MLA without any registered cases is Manohar Chandrikapure from Arjuni Morgaon and Vidhan Sabha Constituency.

The Khairlanji massacre, which took place on 29 September 2006 in Khairlanji village in Bhandara district, sent shockwaves across Maharashtra and the entire country. It was a horrific act of caste-based violence in which four members of the Dalit Bhotmange family were brutally attacked. Surekha Bhotmange, along with her daughter Priyanka and sons Roshan and Sudhir, were targeted by a mob. Surekha, Priyanka, and Roshan were murdered, with two of them reportedly subjected to sexual assault prior to being killed. Sudhir, the father, survived the attack but was left deeply traumatised.

The atrocity sparked statewide and national protests, drawing attention to the persistence of caste-based discrimination and violence. It also drew international condemnation and demands for justice. Nearly two years later, on 15 September 2008, a special court convicted eight individuals. Six were initially sentenced to death and two to life imprisonment. However, in a later judgment, the Bombay High Court commuted the death sentences, awarding life imprisonment to all eight convicts. As of now, the case is under review by the Supreme Court.

The Khairlanji massacre remains a searing reminder of the brutal consequences of caste-based hatred, and it continues to be cited in discussions around justice, social equity, and the failures of institutional response in India.

During the Emergency (1975–77), several local activists from Bhandara district, including Ram Joshi, Madhukar Ambhorkar, and Mukund Trivedi, were arrested by the police for their dissent. Media censorship was also strictly enforced. The editor of a prominent local newspaper received an official warning after publishing a piece critical of the government. In response, the following week, the usual editorial column was conspicuously replaced by a recipe for coconut chutney, an act that quietly signaled both compliance and protest under censorship.

After his defeat in the 1952 Lok Sabha elections from the Bombay (North) constituency, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar contested the 1954 by-election from the Bhandara seat. Despite support from the erstwhile Jan Sangh in both elections, he was once again defeated—this time by the Congress candidate, Bhaurao Borkar. These setbacks marked significant moments in Ambedkar’s political journey, underscoring the challenges he faced in electoral politics despite his national stature.