The first Lok Sabha elections were held in Palghar district in 2009 and its first member of Parliament was Baliram Jadhav of Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA). The party has again fielded Jadhav in the present Lok Sabha elections, and he has the support of the Mahagathbandhan. Sitting MP Rajendra Gavit, his opponent, was in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) until recently. There are also 10 independent candidates in the field.

Palghar district has six Vidhan Sabha constituencies in eight talukas, of which the only developed area is under the Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation (VVMC). The rest is tribal area. About 70 per cent of the population (around 10 lakh voters) lives in the tribal area while 30 per cent (around 8 lakh voters) stay in the cities.