Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday congratulated Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde as well as party workers as trends showed the BJP-Shiv Sena were set to win comfortably in most of the 29 municipal corporations where votes are being counted, including the country's financial capital Mumbai. Maharashtra's journey towards progress will gain even more strength under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the leadership of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, he said. In a post on X, he congratulated Fadnavis, Shinde, state BJP chief Ravindra Chavan, state revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule and all party workers.Gadkari said he is grateful to the people of the state who showed faith in the BJP-led Mahayuti by prioritizing development. This victory will give even greater momentum to the Mahayuti government, which is racing ahead on the path of development, the senior BJP leader added. "I am confident that Maharashtra's journey towards progress will gain even more strength under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the leadership of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis," the Union minister said. Polls to 29 municipal corporations were held on Thursday, while votes are being counted on Friday. BMC Election Results 2026 LIVE: Ward-wise and Party-wise Counting Updates This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
16 January,2026 05:23 PM IST | Nagpur | PTIShrikant Pangarkar, an accused in the 2017 murder of journalist and activist Gauri Lankesh, has been elected as a corporator to the Jalna Municipal Corporation in Maharashtra, reported the PTI. The results were declared on Friday as counting continued for elections held across 29 civic bodies in the state. The Maharashtra civic poll results are scheduled to be announced later in the day. Shrikant Pangarkar contested the election as an Independent candidate from Ward No. 13. He secured victory by defeating Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Raosaheb Dhoble. According to election officials, Pangarkar polled 2,661 votes, while Dhoble received 2,477 votes, according to the PTI. With the exception of the Shiv Sena, most major political parties had fielded candidates against Pangarkar in the ward. BMC Election Results 2026 LIVE: Ward-wise and Party-wise Counting Updates Gauri Lankesh murder case Gauri Lankesh, a prominent journalist and outspoken critic of right-wing extremism, was shot dead outside her home in Bengaluru on 5 September 2017. Her killing sparked nationwide outrage and renewed debates on press freedom and political violence in India. In August 2018, the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arrested Pangarkar under provisions of the Explosives Act, the Explosive Substances Act, and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. He was later granted bail by the Karnataka High Court on September 4, 2024. Pangarkar’s political career Pangarkar previously served as a member of the Jalna Municipal Council between 2001 and 2006, during the period when the Shiv Sena was still undivided. After being denied a party ticket in 2011, he joined the right-wing Hindu Janjagruti Samiti, as per the PTI. BJP poised to control Jalna civic body Meanwhile, the BJP is moving towards gaining control of the Jalna Municipal Corporation. In the 65-member civic body, the BJP is leading in 41 seats. The BJP, Shiv Sena, and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) contested the elections separately. In contrast, the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance—comprising the Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (SP), and the Congress—fought the polls together. 65 candidates in 10 civic bodies declared elected unopposed Meanwhile, a total of 65 candidates from ten municipal corporations in Maharashtra were declared elected unopposed ahead of elections held on January 15, the State Election Commission (SEC) said on Friday, reported the PTI. The data was shared on a day when the counting of votes for 29 civic bodies, which went to polls on Thursday, was underway. The BJP topped the list of unopposed candidates with 43, followed by ally Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena (18 candidates), the Nationalist Congress Party (2), an Independent, and a candidate of the Indian Secular Largest Assembly of Maharashtra. (with PTI inputs)
16 January,2026 05:19 PM IST | Jalna (Maharashtra) | mid-day online correspondentThe Congress won the elections to the Latur Municipal Corporation (LMC) in central Maharashtra on Friday, securing a clear majority in the 70-member civic body, the PTI reported. The results were declared on Friday as counting continued for elections held across 29 civic bodies in the state. The Maharashtra civic poll results are scheduled to be announced later in the day. The party won 43 seats, comfortably crossing the majority mark, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) finished a distant second with 22 seats. According to election officials, the Congress emerged as the largest party with 43 seats. The BJP won 22 seats, the Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi secured four seats, and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) managed to win one seat. Remarks on Vilasrao Deshmukh Influence Voters Local political observers believe that controversial remarks made by Maharashtra BJP president Ravindra Chavan played a key role in consolidating votes in favour of the Congress. During a campaign rally, Chavan said that memories of late Congress leader and former Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh would be “wiped out” from his hometown Latur. Deshmukh, a two-time Chief Minister, was a highly respected leader from the Marathwada region. The comments sparked widespread criticism from citizens and political parties across Maharashtra. Chavan later issued an apology for his remarks. Mixed results for former mayors Out of the five mayors the corporation has had since its formation in 2011, four contested the elections this time. Two of them emerged victorious. Smita Khanapure, the Congress’s first mayor in Latur, faced defeat in Ward No. 15. She lost to BJP spokesperson Prerana Honrao. Former Congress mayor Vikrant Gojamgunde, who joined the NCP ahead of the civic polls, won from Ward No. 5 with a margin of 4,729 votes. Another former Congress mayor, Deepak Sul, retained his political influence by winning Ward No. 10 with 5,451 votes. Former BJP mayor Suresh Pawar, who contested on a Shiv Sena ticket from Ward No. 6, was defeated by the BJP candidate. Contrast with 2017 results In the previous LMC elections held in 2017, the BJP had emerged as the largest party with 36 seats, while the Congress followed closely with 33 seats. The latest results mark a major turnaround for the Congress in Latur. (with PTI inputs)
16 January,2026 05:15 PM IST | Latur | mid-day online correspondentA major controversy erupted during the vote-counting process in Ward No. 25 of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), heightening tension at the counting centre. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Rupali Patil Thombre raised serious objections over the counting process and staged a boycott along with other candidates. The incident occurred at the New English School counting centre, where Patil Thombre and her supporters raised slogans, alleging that democracy was under threat. She claimed that as many as 17 electronic voting machines (EVMs) used for counting had been replaced, triggering sharp protests at the venue. Maharashtra Civic Elections 2026 Results: Counting halted amid EVM swap allegations Following the objections, the counting process was suspended for nearly two hours, creating a tense atmosphere in the area. Police personnel intervened to bring the situation under control. According to Patil Thombre, a list had been finalised on January 11 in the presence of polling agents, panchas, and the election officer (ARO), clearly mentioning which EVM would be used for which voter segment. The list was officially recorded and signed by representatives of all concerned candidates. However, she alleged that different machines were used on the day of counting, leading to doubts over transparency. She further stated that when the assistant returning officer (ARO) was questioned, officials avoided producing the January 11 list. Thombre alleged that pressure was being exerted through the police instead of addressing the concerns raised by candidates. “Any replacement of machines must follow a legal procedure, which includes informing candidates, taking their signatures, and conducting video recording. None of this has been done so far. If our concerns are not addressed satisfactorily, we will immediately approach the high court,” she said. The incident has added to the political tension surrounding the PMC Election results, as counting continues under tight security.
16 January,2026 04:36 PM IST | Pune | Archana DahiwalThe BJP was leading in the elections to the municipal corporations of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Jalna, and Nanded in Maharashtra's Marathwada, while the Congress dominated the Latur civic body in the region, according to early trends. Of the 115 seats in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, BJP candidates were ahead in 22, followed by Shiv Sena, led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, in 19 seats, as per the trends reported by Marathi channels. There was no official confirmation from the State Election Commission Asaduddin Owaisi's All India Majlis E Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) had taken the lead in 14 seats here. Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT) was leading in ten seats, while Deputy CM Ajit Pawar's NCP was ahead in two seats. In Jalna, which became Maharashtra's 29th municipal corporation in 2023, former Congress leader and ex-MLA Kailas Gorantyal's switch to the BJP appears to have helped the latter. Of the 65 seats in the Jalna civic body, the BJP was leading in 19 seats, while the Congress, which has an MP from the area, was ahead in three seats.Of the 70 seats in Latur, the Congress was surging ahead in 30 seats, followed by the BJP in 17, according to TV reports. Independent candidates were ahead in five seats. In the run-up to the elections, state BJP chief Ravindra Chavan had sparked a controversy after he said that the memories of late Vilasrao Deshmukh, former chief minister, would be wiped out from his hometown Latur. He later apologised for his statement. In Parbhani Municipal Corporation, Sena (UBT) was leading in 23 of the 65 seats in the civic body, followed by Congress in 8 seats.In Nanded, the BJP was leading in 20 of the 81 seats, while Shiv Sena was ahead in five. The Congress was leading in 12 seats, according to early trends reported by television channels. BMC Election Results 2026 LIVE: Ward-wise and Party-wise Counting Updates This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
16 January,2026 04:35 PM IST | Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar | PTIIn a significant development in the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) Election Results 2026, Sai Thopte of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the youngest candidate fielded by the party, has emerged victorious from Ward No. 36(C). Sai Thopte is currently a final-year BBA student at the renowned Symbiosis College in Pune. Her candidature was announced by the BJP while she was still attending college classes. Contesting an election while being a student and securing a decisive victory marks a major milestone in her life and political journey. Thopte has been actively associated with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), through which she participated in various issues, programmes and movements in Pune. Even during her college years, she consistently raised her voice on youth-related issues and took firm stands on matters concerning students. Although new to active electoral politics, Sai Thopte comes from a political background. Her father, Prashant Thopte, has been a BJP office-bearer for several years and has held key responsibilities such as vice president, general secretary and assembly election coordinator in the Parvati Assembly constituency. He has played a significant role in strengthening the BJP’s presence in areas such as Parvati, Sahakarnagar and Dhankawadi. Party sources say that Parvati MLA Madhuri Misal’s close observation and support also played a role in Sai Thopte being nominated as a PMC candidate. With this victory, Pune has now got one of its youngest corporators. Along with Sai Thopte, all four BJP candidates from Sahakarnagar–Padmavati (Ward No. 36) have registered victories. Mahesh Wable (BJP) won by a margin of 5,000 votes, Bhonsale Shailaja (BJP) secured victory with a margin of 2,595 votes, Sai Thopte (BJP) won by 2,400 votes, and Vina Ghosh (BJP) emerged victorious with a margin of 4,000 votes. Meanwhile, candidates Aba Bagul, Ashwini Kadam and Subhash Jagatap suffered major defeats from the ward, further underlining the BJP’s strong performance in the area. BMC Election Results 2026 LIVE: Ward-wise and Party-wise Counting Updates
16 January,2026 04:13 PM IST | Pune | Archana DahiwalAmid the ongoing vote counting for 227 wards of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Maharashtra Minister Sanjay Shirsat on Thursday accused the police of “misusing power” following an alleged lathi charge on Shiv Sena workers at a counting centre in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, reported news agency ANI. Dispute over entry escalates into violence The incident reportedly occurred at the counting centre set up at the Government Engineering College after a dispute broke out over granting entry to Shiv Sena workers. According to party leaders, a verbal altercation between the workers and police personnel escalated, following which the police allegedly resorted to a lathi charge. Several party workers were reportedly injured, triggering chaos at the venue. BMC Election Results 2026 LIVE: Ward-wise and Party-wise Counting Updates Shirsat demands action, says MLCs will be filed Speaking to the media at the counting centre, Shirsat demanded action against the police personnel involved, alleging excessive use of force. He also said that medico-legal cases (MLCs) would be filed against the police. ‘Police should act against criminals, not workers’ “Today is the counting of votes, and on such a day, when our workers were coming to the centre, nearly 100 policemen opened a lathi charge on them and wounded them severely. Action should be taken against this. The police should use force against criminals, not workers. This is a misuse of power. We are filing MLCs against them,” the minister said, reported ANI. Police cite Election Commission guidelines Responding to the allegations, the police maintained that their actions were in line with guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India to ensure security and order at the counting centre. Inquiry ordered by police commissioner Police Commissioner Praveen Pawar said the matter has been taken cognisance of and an inquiry has been ordered. He added that the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) would lead the investigation, considering statements from both the police and Shiv Sena leaders, and assured that appropriate action would be taken based on the findings, reported ANI. DCP to examine statements of all sides “The counting of votes is taking place here today. An incident has occurred. The DCP will investigate the matter, taking into account the stance of both the police and Shiv Sena leaders. Everything will be examined, and action will be taken accordingly,” he said, reported ANI. Harshada Shirsat raises concerns over lack of action Meanwhile, Harshada Shirsat, the minister’s daughter, also reached the counting centre and alleged that no action had yet been taken against the police personnel accused of assaulting party workers. Both she and the minister asserted that an inquiry into the officers involved should be prioritised, even if it temporarily halted the counting process, reported ANI. Protests erupt, additional police deployed Following the incident, protests erupted at the site, prompting the deployment of additional police forces. The district administration and election officials said efforts are underway to defuse the situation and mediate among all parties concerned, with necessary steps to be taken to restore normalcy. (With inputs from ANI)
16 January,2026 01:48 PM IST | Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar | mid-day online correspondentAhead of the Maharashtra local body election counting scheduled for today, heavy security has been put in place outside the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) D Ward Regional Office. Results for the state’s 29 municipal corporations are expected to start being announced from 10 am onwards. Speaking to ANI, DCP Vishal Gaikwad said, “The counting process is about to begin shortly in the D Ward. We have made all necessary arrangements, including one riot-control police platoon, seven to eight officers, and 100 policemen on duty.” Meanwhile, vote counting for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections will begin today at 10.00 am across 23 designated counting centres in Mumbai, Municipal Commissioner and District Election Officer Bhushan Gagrani said. The recently concluded Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) recorded a voter turnout of 52.94 per cent, according to the data released by the State Election Commissioner (SEC) on Friday. The elections for India's richest municipal corporations, which concluded on Thursday, were marred with allegations by the Shiv Sena (UBT)- MNS alliance, and subsequently refuted by the SEC. The elections, which were conducted after a gap of eight years, marked a significant civic exercise for Mumbai. The previous BMC elections were held in 2017, while the term of the last elected mayor, Kishori Pednekar, ended in March 2022. With the completion of the polls, Mumbai is set to get a new mayor after nearly four years. The counting process will be conducted in strict compliance with the guidelines of the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the Model Code of Conduct. Elaborate arrangements have been made to ensure smooth conduct of the process, including security deployment, traffic management, and maintenance of law and order across the city. The detailed plan for vote counting has been approved by the Municipal Commissioner, the BMC said in a statement on Thursday. According to the BMC, 23 Returning Officers have been appointed for the 227 election wards within the municipal limits. Strong rooms and counting venues under the jurisdiction of each Returning Officer have been designated for the process and have received the necessary approvals from the Public Works Department and the Police Department. BMC Election Results 2026 LIVE: Ward-wise and Party-wise Counting Updates (With ANI inputs)
16 January,2026 01:40 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Supreme Court on Friday rejected a plea filed by Allahabad High Court Justice Yashwant Varma, who faces impeachment proceedings following the cash-discovery row challenging the decision of the Lok Sabha Speaker to constitute a three-member inquiry committee against him under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968. Pronouncing the operative part of the verdict, a Bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma said, “We hold that the petitioner is not entitled to any relief in the present case.” Last week, the Justice Datta-led Bench had reserved its verdict on Justice Varma’s writ petition after hearing extensive arguments from all sides. In his plea, Justice Varma has challenged the Lok Sabha Speaker’s decision primarily on procedural grounds. The plea argued that although impeachment notices were moved in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on the same day, Speaker Om Birla constituted the inquiry committee unilaterally, without awaiting the Rajya Sabha Chairman’s decision or holding the mandatory joint consultation. It was contended that the provison to Section 3(2) of the Judges (Inquiry) Act requires that when notices are given on the same day in both Houses, no committee can be constituted unless the motion is admitted in both Houses, and that too by joint action of the Speaker and the Chairman. However, the Lok Sabha Secretariat opposed the plea, arguing that the Rajya Sabha did not admit the impeachment motion. It was highlighted that the motion was rejected by the Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman on August 11, 2025, after the then Chairman and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned in July. It was further argued that the proviso to Section 3(2) did not apply and the Lok Sabha Speaker was well within his powers to proceed independently. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha functionaries, argued that the purpose of the proviso to Section 3(2) was only to avoid the constitution of two separate inquiry committees on the same allegations. The Centre’s second-highest law officer submitted that admission of an impeachment motion is not automatic and requires application of mind by the presiding officer of the House concerned. Justice Varma has been at the centre of controversy since burnt cash was allegedly discovered in an outhouse of his official residence in March 2025, when he was serving as a judge of the Delhi High Court. Though he was not present at the time of the fire, a three-member in-house inquiry committee constituted by the Supreme Court later concluded that he exercised "secret or active control" over the cash stash. Based on the inquiry report, the then Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna recommended initiation of removal proceedings. In August last year, the Supreme Court dismissed Justice Varma’s writ petition challenging the in-house probe. The apex court said that the in-house procedure laid down is "fair and just" and does not compromise judicial independence, which is a basic feature of the Constitution. Notices of impeachment, backed by 145 Lok Sabha members and 63 Rajya Sabha members, were moved in both Houses of Parliament in July 2025. Subsequently, the Lok Sabha Speaker announced the constitution of a three-member inquiry committee, a decision that is now under challenge before the Supreme Court. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
16 January,2026 01:36 PM IST | New Delhi | IANSThe Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) general elections concluded peacefully on Thursday, registering a voter turnout of 57.71 per cent, while the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) recorded 52.42 per cent turnout. Polling in the PCMC limits was conducted from 7.30 am to 5.30 pm across 2,067 polling centres. As per provisional figures, 9,89,026 voters cast their ballots by the close of polling. Of these, 5,25,147 were men, 4,63,827 were women, and 52 voters were listed under the ‘other’ category. PCMC has 17,13,891 registered voters, including 9,05,728 men, 8,07,966 women, and 197 others. Election officials said polling was largely smooth, with only minor issues reported at a few centres, and voting continued till the scheduled time at some locations. The PCMC civic body has 128 seats, and vote counting will be conducted as per the schedule announced by the State Election Commission, Maharashtra. BMC Election Results 2026 LIVE: Ward-wise and Party-wise Counting Updates PMC civic polls record 52.42 per cent voter turnout The State Election Commission, Maharashtra, on Thursday released ward-wise turnout figures for the PMC elections 2026, showing an overall voter participation of 52.42 per cent. Polling was held on January 15, from 7.30 am to 4.30 pm, across all PMC wards. Of the 35.52 lakh registered voters, 18.62 lakh citizens exercised their franchise. Turnout varied across wards, with some areas crossing 55 per cent, while a few remained below the 50 per cent mark. Suburban and peripheral areas recorded relatively higher participation than central city pockets. Officials said adequate arrangements—including police deployment, CCTV surveillance, and webcasting at sensitive booths—were put in place to ensure smooth polling. Despite these measures, overall participation remained moderate. The final results will be known after counting, and officials urged citizens to participate more actively in future civic polls to strengthen local self-governance.
16 January,2026 01:20 PM IST | Mumbai | Archana DahiwalBJP National Spokesperson CR Kesavan on Friday criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his remarks on the electoral process, calling them a "failed toolkit of despair and desperation." Kesavan accused him of trying to divert attention amid his party's poor performance in the Maharashtra civic elections. In a post on X, Kesavan wrote, "Leader of Propaganda, LOP Rahul Gandhi has zilch-zero credibility with the people of India who do not trust the undemocratic Congress leadership and Rahul Gandhi's scarecrow tactics. Rahul Gandhi's failed toolkit of despair and desperation is- if you cannot beat them, then try to contrive conspiracy theories to confuse !" Leader of Propaganda, LOP Rahul Gandhi has zilch-zero credibility with the people of India who do not trust the undemocratic Congress leadership and Rahul Gandhi's scarecrow tactics. Rahul Gandhi's failed toolkit of despair and desperation is- if you cannot beat them, then try to… pic.twitter.com/mi7BszsFQS — C.R.Kesavan (@crkesavan) January 16, 2026 "Realising the imminent drubbing of Congress and now defunct INDI alliance in the Maharashtra Civic elections, Rahul Gandhi is trying to distract and divert attention. He stands exposed once again before the nation with his pungent and puerile politics," the post read. BMC Election Results 2026 LIVE: Ward-wise and Party-wise Counting Updates Earlier in the day, Rahul Gandhi alleged that there is an erosion of public trust in the electoral process. He shared an article from the Mumbai Mirror that highlighted voter concerns about fading indelible ink. In a post on X, the Congress leader said, "Election commission gaslighting citizens is how trust has collapsed in our democracy. Vote Chori is an anti-national act." Meanwhile, early trends being reported from the counting of votes in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections on Friday showed the Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena Mahayuti alliance leading in around 75 wards as of 11 am, based on preliminary data. According to the data being reported, the BJP leads in 49 seats, and the Shiv Sena leads in 26. This means that the Fadnavis-led BJP is currently batting at a strike rate of 36 per cent, having contested 135 wards. Shinde's Sena is batting at a strike rate of 29 per cent, having contested 90 wards. Shiv Sena (UBT) is reported to be leading in 40 seats. The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), led by Raj Thackeray, is currently leading in 8 seats. The Congress has 7 leads from the initial count, while Ajit Pawar's NCP faction has 1 lead. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
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