State Election Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare will brief the media in Mumbai at 4 pm regarding the upcoming local body polls. The press conference will take place at the University Gymkhana, opposite Mantralaya in south Mumbai
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The Maharashtra State Election Commission (SEC) is expected to announce the schedule for local body elections soon, including polls for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and 28 other municipal corporations. The municipal corporation elections are likely to be conducted in January 2026.
State Election Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare will brief the media in Mumbai at 4 pm regarding the upcoming local body polls. The press conference will take place at the Secretariat Gymkhana, opposite Mantralaya in south Mumbai.
According to officials in the State Election Commission, the polls may be held in three phases. The first phase is expected to cover 246 nagar palikas and 42 nagar panchayats, followed by elections to zilla parishads in the second phase. The third phase is likely to include polls for 29 municipal corporations and municipal councils. Officials, however, cautioned that the final sequence may change and the exact schedule will only be confirmed once officially announced.
The briefing is expected to outline preparations and key updates for elections to municipal corporations, municipal councils, and nagar panchayats — one of the most significant electoral exercises in Maharashtra.
The Supreme Court has set a final deadline of January 31, 2026, for conducting the local body elections, including those for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and other major civic bodies. During a hearing, the apex court criticised the SEC for failing to adhere to earlier timelines and directed that polls for all local bodies, zilla parishads, and panchayat samitis be completed by the deadline.
Local body elections have been delayed since 2022 due to litigation over reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs).
Key municipal corporations awaiting elections include Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Vasai-Virar, Mira-Bhayandar, Kalyan-Dombivli, and Nashik. Mumbai last held civic polls in February 2017, and the five-year term ended in 2022.
The SEC recently sought more time to conduct the polls, citing issues such as non-availability of school premises, shortage of staff, and inadequate supply of electronic voting machines (EVMs). The Supreme Court, however, rejected the request.
With the court’s deadline in place, the commission is now expected to accelerate preparations for elections to 29 municipal corporations, 290 municipal councils, district councils, and panchayat samitis. Momentum is likely to build once the official poll schedule is announced.
Meanwhile, the Maharashtra State Election Commission (SEC) had earlier said that the lottery to determine ward reservations for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls will be held on November 11.
The poll body said the lottery result will be submitted to the SEC for approval.
Elections to 29 civic bodies in the state, including the cash-rich 227-member BMC, are to be completed by January 2026.
Citizens will be allowed to submit objections and suggestions to the ward reservations between November 14 and 20. The BMC commissioner will hear the objections and suggestions received between November 21 and 27 and take the final decision.
The final list of ward reservations will be published on November 28, the SEC said.
The number of reserved wards will be finalised and submitted to the SEC between October 30 and November 3. The notification for the lottery for ward reservation will be published on November 6, the poll body said.
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