Polling began at 7.30 am across the city, with voters gradually arriving at polling booths in various wards. Early turnout was largely driven by senior citizens, morning walkers, and first-time voters, particularly in residential neighbourhoods
Pic/Atul Kamble
Mumbai witnessed a measured start to polling on Thursday as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections 2026 got underway, with voter turnout recorded at 6.98 per cent till 9.30 am, according to the civic body.
A total of 7,36,996 voters cast their ballots within the first two hours of polling, according to data released by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). Mumbai has an electorate of approximately 1.03 crore voters.
Suburbs outperform island city in early turnout
Overall, the suburbs recorded a significantly higher voter turnout than the island city areas spanning Colaba to Dadar and Matunga–Wadala. Voters in Borivali and Kandivali, in particular, turned out in large numbers during the early hours of polling.
Borivali East ward records highest turnout
The highest turnout was reported from electoral ward number 18 in Borivali East, part of the R/Central ward, where 11.57 per cent of voters—5,316 individuals—had cast their votes by 9.30 am. This was followed by ward 114 with a turnout of 11 per cent, ward 109 at 10.88 per cent, electoral ward 29 at 10.63 per cent, ward 9 at 10.5 per cent, and ward 11 at 10.14 per cent, all located in the western suburbs.
Kurla region among lowest turnout areas
In contrast, the Kurla region, corresponding to the L ward, recorded some of the lowest turnout figures. Electoral wards numbered 159 to 164, covering areas of Kurla and Chandivali, reported voter turnout of less than 3 per cent.
Malad and Madh see poor voter participation
Low turnout was also observed in parts of Malad and Madh, with ward number 50 recording just 1.75 per cent turnout, followed by ward 56 at 2.68 per cent and ward 52 at 3.05 per cent.
Colaba records low turnout in South Mumbai
South Mumbai’s Colaba area, corresponding to ward 227, also remained among the lowest-performing wards, with a turnout of 2.20 per cent, translating to 1,011 votes cast till 9.30 am.
Senior citizens and first-time voters drive early turnout
Polling began at 7.30 am across the city, with voters gradually arriving at polling booths in various wards. Early turnout was largely driven by senior citizens, morning walkers, and first-time voters, particularly in residential neighbourhoods.
Mumbai in focus as statewide civic polls begin
Voting in 29 municipal corporations across Maharashtra began on Thursday morning with spotlight on Mumbai, where the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance is locked in an intense battle with the reunited Thackeray cousins for control of India's largest and richest civic body.
Polling details across Maharashtra
Polling for 2,869 seats spread across 893 wards in these municipal corporations began amid tight security at 7.30 am and will conclude at 5.30 pm. A total of 3.48 crore voters are eligible to decide the fate of 15,931 candidates.
High-stakes BMC election after nine-year gap
In the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), whose annual budget is over Rs 74,400 crore, 1,700 candidates are vying for 227 seats in elections being held after nine years, after a four-year delay. More than 25,000 police personnel have been deployed across Mumbai to oversee elections.
Vote counting scheduled for January 16
Except for Mumbai, the other urban bodies have multi-member wards. Vote count will take place on January 16.
First BMC polls since Shiv Sena split
These are the first BMC polls since the 2022 split in the Shiv Sena when Eknath Shinde, now Deputy Chief Minister, broke away with a majority of the party's MLAs and allied with the BJP to become the chief minister.
The undivided Shiv Sena held sway over India's richest civic body for 25 years (1997-2022).
Thackeray cousins reunite ahead of crucial civic polls
In a significant political turn of events ahead of the elections, estranged cousins Uddhav and Raj Thackeray, who head Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS, respectively, reunited last month after two decades in their bid to consolidate Marathi votes even as rival NCP factions forged a local alliance in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad.
Congress seeks to regain ground in Mumbai
The Congress, once a formidable political force in Maharashtra, has asserted its presence in Mumbai by stepping out of the shadow of its Maha Vikas Aghadi allies - Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP).
The grand old party has joined hands with Prakash Ambedkar's Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) and the Rashtriya Samaj Paksh in the state capital.
Civic polls after prolonged delay across state
Elections to the 29 municipal corporations are being held after a gap of several years, with terms of most of them having ended between 2020 and 2023. Of these, nine fall in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), the most urbanised belt in India.
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