The BMC elections are expected to see a straight contest between two major political alliances in Maharashtra—the ruling Mahayuti and the Opposition’s Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA)
The Supreme Court of India has directed the State Election Commission to complete all pending local body elections by January 31, 2026. Representational Pic
Polling for elections to 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), will be held on January 15, with the results scheduled to be declared the next day, the State Election Commission (SEC) said on Monday.
According to the election schedule, nominations can be filed from December 23 to 30, while scrutiny of nomination papers will take place on December 31. The last date for withdrawal of nominations is January 2, and election symbols will be allotted the next day.
The Supreme Court of India has directed the SEC to complete all the pending local body elections by January 31, 2026. The municipal elections have been overdue since 2022.
The BMC elections are expected to see a straight contest between two major political alliances in Maharashtra—the ruling Mahayuti and the Opposition’s Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).
The Mahayuti, which currently governs the state, comprises the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
The principal opposition alliance, the MVA, includes the Indian National Congress, the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP–SP.
Adding a new political dimension, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray have announced a joint fight in the BMC polls after nearly two decades. The Thackeray cousins came together following a controversy over the alleged imposition of Hindi in the state.
The estimated budget of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation for the year 2025-26 is Rs 74,427 crore, and the expenditure stands at Rs 43,162 crore, representing 58 per cent of the total budget allocated to development projects. This gigantic budget is unmatched by any other state or municipal corporation in the country, cementing the BMC's status as Asia's wealthiest civic body.
Mumbai is the financial capital of the country, and as its key governing body, the BMC manages to oversee Infrastructure to health, roads to water supply, transport to power supply, education to sanitation.
The elections, which were due in 2022, will be held in January 2026. After a setback in the Lok Sabha elections and victory in the Assembly polls in 2024, the Mahayuti will look to develop a stronghold over the BMC. The MVA will look to dent the Mahayuti's chances, making a comeback in Maharashtra's electoral politics.
For this municipal election, the State Election Commission said that they will be using the voter list as of the notified date of July 1, 2025.
The opposition has raised electoral fraud as an issue ahead of the polls. Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray demanded that the Election Commission extend the days for raising objections to the draft rolls of the BMC elections.
(With ANI inputs)
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