WASHIM

Washim district was officially formed in 1998 by carving out six talukas from the Akola district - Karanja, Mangrulpir, Risod, Malegaon, Washim, and Manora. Historically, during the time of India’s independence, this region was part of the Berar area within Akola district.

In 1950, the Berar region was merged into the then-state of Madhya Pradesh. Following the States Reorganisation Act of 1956, its Marathi-speaking areas, including present-day Washim, were incorporated into the Bombay State. Finally, after the Bombay Reorganisation Act of 1960, the Bombay State was divided into Gujarat and Maharashtra, and this region became part of Maharashtra. The formation of Washim as a separate district in 1998 marked the latest step in its administrative evolution.

The Washim district consists of the joint Yavatmal-Washim Lok Sabha constituency. Only Karanja and Washim among the Vidhan Sabha segments are situated in the Washim district, with the rest falling in the Yavatmal district. Along with this, the Risod Vidhan Sabha constituency of the Akola Lok Sabha constituency falls in the district.

Within the Vidhan Parishad, the Washim District is represented by Akola-Washim-Buldhana Local Bodies Authorities Constituency, the Amravati Teachers’ Constituency, and the Amravati 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 Washim district and the Vidhan Sabha and Lok Sabha Constituencies that fall within and around it.

The current chapter focuses on the Yavatmal-Washim Lok Sabha and the Vidhan Sabha segments that comprise it. For other Vidhan Sabha segments that fall in the district, refer to the chapter on Akola Local Politics.

Before the formation of the district in 1998, the region was represented by the Washim Lok Sabha constituency. In the latest delimitation, the joint Yavatmal-Washim Lok Sabha constituency was created. The given chart provides an overview of the composition of the Lok Sabha constituencies with the third and fourth delimitation rounds.

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

The following are the current Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) representing constituencies in Washim district, as of 2024:

As of September 2025, there is no member from the Washim district representing Maharashtra in the Rajya Sabha.

Hasan Mushrif (NCP) is the Guardian Minister for Washim district, as of 2024.

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

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

There are 9 Urban Local Bodies in the District: 1 Mahanagar Palika, 7 Nagar Parishad, 1 Nagar Panchayat. There are 704 Gram Panchayats and 6 Panchayat Samiti.

In 1869, the Municipal Corporation of Washim was established, which now comes under the Maharashtra Municipalities Act, 1965. The municipal council is composed of 18 members, with two seats each being reserved for the scheduled castes and women.

Washim district has three municipal councils (Nagar Samitis) that administer key urban centres. These include Mangrulpir, Risod, and Washim. These municipalities are responsible for civic amenities, sanitation, local infrastructure, and public welfare services within their respective towns.

Washim district has three town councils (Nagar Panchayats) that govern smaller towns. These are Karanja, Malegaon, and Manora. Town councils focus on local development, maintaining basic infrastructure, and implementing government schemes in semi-urban areas.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha election, there were a total of 17 contestants from the Yavatmal-Washim seat. Of these, there were two candidates that had criminal cases against them, with one of the contestants having serious cases registered. The contestant with the highest number of criminal cases registered was an Independent candidate. The elected MP, Sanjay Uttamrao Deshmukh, has no criminal cases against him.

In the 2019 Vidhan Sabha election, there were a total of 74 contestants from the six  Vidhan Sabha seats that come under the Yavatmal-Washim Lok Sabha seat. Out of these, 14 contestants had criminal cases against them, with 35% of them having serious cases registered.

Of the six elected MLAs, two have serious criminal cases registered against them. Rathod Sanjay Dulichand from Digras Vidhan Sabha constituency has the highest number of criminal cases. The only MLA without any registered cases is Lakhan Sahadeo Malik from Washim (SC) Vidhan Sabha Constituency.

Born on 16 April 1907 in Karanja Lad, Washim district, Bankatlalji Kisangopalji Bang pursued his education up to the eighth standard before taking up agriculture as his primary occupation. Deeply inspired by an address delivered by Lokmanya Tilak, he joined the Indian National Congress and actively took part in the Non-Cooperation Movement, Civil Disobedience Movement, and several other satyagrahas. His involvement in the freedom struggle led to multiple arrests, including imprisonment for six months in Akola Central Jail and one year in Nagpur Jail. In recognition of his significant contributions to India’s independence movement, he was awarded a Tamra Patra by the former Prime Minister, the late Smt. Indira Gandhi.

Born in 1922 in the village of Mangarulpir, Damodar Motiramji Rathi was interested in contributing to India’s freedom struggle. Opportunity soon presented itself during the Civil Disobedience movement (1930-34), inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s vision Damodar actively participated in the movement but he was arrested by the British government and sentenced to one and a half years of rigorous imprisonment along with being imposed with a heavy fine of Rs.1,000/-. He also participated in the Quit India movement (1942-45). Damodar Motiramji Rathi passed away in 1995.

In the summer of 2018, due to water shortage, the district administration had diverted water from irrigation projects meant for rural areas to the towns. Protests led by local-rural leaders were carried out against this decision in various places of the district, especially in Selubazaar village and Mangrulpir town, Kokalgaon, Malegaon, and Chakatirth area.

In 2011, it was reported that a couple of youths of the town who were surfing the internet on Sunday morning in a cyber café noticed the picture of a tampered Majsid uploaded by another local youth. The news immediately spread like wildfire. Tension prevailed in the market area of the city when a strong mob set several two-wheelers and a couple of cars afire and damaged at least five shops in protest; no injuries were reported. Later, the boy who uploaded the tampered Masjid picture was arrested by the police.

In 2015, following the marriage of a youth from the Muslim community to a girl from the Hindu Community on 4th July (termed as a case of Love Jihad), communal riots erupted at Karanja town on 15th July, resulting in the death of 35-year-old Shujauddin, injuries to many others, and damage to public property.