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Mumbai: The BMC elections 2026 comes after a long delay of over 34 months since the previous term ended in February 2022 without elected corporators. The State Election Commission (SEC) has announced elections for 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), on January 15, 2026. Polling will be held from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm, and counting of votes will take place on January 16, 2026. The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) came into force on December 15, 2025, across all municipal corporation areas.
Exit polls for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections project the Bharatiya Janata Party as the single largest party with 138 seats. Shiv Sena (UBT) is projected to win 59 seats, while the Indian National Congress may secure 23. Others are expected to get seven seats. Results will be counted on January 16.
Actor Ranbir Kapoor urged citizens to step out and vote, calling it a duty and a fundamental right. He said people complain year-round about lack of amenities but must participate in elections to bring change. Kapoor also thanked the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, saying it consistently provides good facilities during elections and festivals like Ganpati Utsav, and deserves appreciation.
BJP leader and minister Ashish Shelar demanded strict action against those allegedly wiping off indelible ink, calling it an attempt at bogus voting. He accused the opposition of politicising the issue and weakening the Election Commission. Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and MNS head Raj Thackeray had raised concerns. SEC Dinesh Waghmare said viral videos are under probe.
State Election Commissioner Dinesh T. Waghmare said confusion is being deliberately created over the indelible ink used in civic polls. He clarified that the same ink used by the Election Commission of India is being applied in marker form, a practice followed since 2011. The ink dries in 12–15 seconds, and strict verification checks prevent any misuse.
AIMIM national spokesperson Waris Pathan blamed the state government and the Election Commission for alleged mismanagement during civic body elections. He said polling booths in Mumbai witnessed chaos, with voter names missing, causing women, senior citizens and first-time voters to be turned away. Calling it unconstitutional, Pathan termed the situation a “murder of democracy.”
Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray has stated that the state election commissioner, Dinesh Waghmare, should be suspended as he is openly siding with the ruling alliance.
He stated that an audit needs to be conducted of the activities of the state election commissioner staff and representatives of all political parties.
Uddhav Thackeray was addressing a press conference at Sena Bhavan on Thursday.
Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray said that there are many complaints of ink being erased. ``How can the ink be erased?’’ he asked.
``Many things are exposed on social media and TV channels. Why are they implementing all methods,’’ said Thackeray.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis cast his vote in Prabhag No. 15 of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) elections. He urgedd voters to contribute generously to civic development, stating that contributing to the system was not merely a right but a civic duty. “If we want to build a good city and a strong democracy, everyone must participate wholeheartedly,” he said.
Master Baster Sachin Tendulkar was among the first cricketers to reach a polling booth on Thursday morning to cast his vote for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections.
Sachin arrived with his wife, Anjali Tendulkar, and daughter, Sara Tendulkar, to cast his vote at the Pali-Chimbai Municipal School in Bandra.
“This is a very important election. It gives us a chance where we can express our opinion through votes. Everyone should come out and cast their votes,” the Indian cricketer told reporters after voting.
"We are rooted in our homeland, and your vote is to nurture those roots and to nurture democracy, so be sure to fulfil this duty," he said.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari condemned the attack on BJP candidate Bhushan Shingne in Nagpur, saying the cops should take strict action.
"I am going to Shingne ji's house right now to see him. This incident is very unfortunate and reprehensible. Differences of opinion can exist, and here in Nagpur, as well as in the entire state of Maharashtra, we have followed a tradition where, during the 15 days of the election, we present our views, and after the election, our relationships become good again. So I think this is very unfortunate. Such incidents should be avoided. The police should definitely take strict action against those who committed the crime. From the information received, it was an attempt to take his life. This is not a good thing," Gadkari told the media.
"I request Mumbaikars to vote. Mumbai needs good air, pothole-free roads, progress, and security, so we all need to take responsibility together. I exercised my right to vote. Mumbai is a great city. Everyone should support us. I request Mumbaikars to exercise their right to vote," said Hema Malini after casting her vote.
Polling for the Pune Municipal Corporation civic elections began on a measured note on Thursday, with the city recording a 5.5 per cent voter turnout in the first two hours of voting, as per the State Election Commission.
On the ongoing voting for Maharashtra local body polls 2026, Shiv Sena candidate Priya Sarvankar said, "Shiv Sena and BJP are moving forward with a development agenda, while opposition parties are advancing a 'Bhai-Bhai' agenda (brother-brother alliance). All Mumbaikars will vote for our development agenda..."
The Ajit Pawar group has recently accused some people of distributing money outside polling stations in Parbhani. This has led to chaos for some time.
Voters were stranded outside the polling station after the EVM machine in booth number four, room number five, at LM Sardar Urdu High School in the Devpur area of Dhule city went off. A large number of voters were stranded due to a technical fault in the machine.
After casting her vote for the BMC elections, Actress Twinkle Khanna said, "I think it gives us a sense of control, a little bit of power over the narrative, and I am voting both out of habit and hope. "
While casting his vote along with the family members, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, said, "It is a great privilege to participate in this festival of democracy. Mumbai is India's financial and commercial capital. We are all proud to be Mumbaikars. We see the future of a developed and prosperous nation through the lens of Mumbai's progress and growth. I appeal to every Mumbaikar to exercise their right to vote as a duty towards their beloved city for good governance, for fast-paced progress, for ensuring the well-being of every resident of Mumbai and to guarantee India's success on the global stage, which starts from Mumbai..."
Stock market holiday today: The Indian stock market is closed for trading on Thursday, January 15, 2026, due to municipal corporation elections in Maharashtra. The state government has declared a public holiday across several civic jurisdictions, including Mumbai, where both the BSE and the National Stock Exchange (NSE) are headquartered.
As voting is underway in Maharashtra, several Mumbaikars who had come to cast their vote for the BMC election returned home without casting their vote due to their names not being on the voting list. "The number we found on the internet does not match here. This is organisational failure... I have to go without casting my vote," one of the agitated voters told news agency ANI.
As polling is underway for BMC elections, Mumbai BJP chief Ameet Satam said he prayed at the feet of Lord Siddhivinayak for strength and blessings to build a developed and safe Mumbai. He urged all Mumbaikars to vote in large numbers and emphasised the importance of civic participation for the city’s growth and the protection of future generations.
After casting his vote, RSS Chief Dr Mohan Bhagwat said, "In a democratic setup, voting is essential to elect the government, and hence it is the duty of every citizen. With a balanced view and people's welfare in mind, it is our duty to vote for the right candidate. It is the first duty of the day, and that is why I came here first to stand in line and vote."
Voting is underway for BMC, 28 other municipal corporations in the state. Voters can cast their ballots till 5:30 PM today.
Ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections, South Mumbai Returning Officer Krishna Jadhav requested the people of Mumbai to cast their votes, asserting that the officials are making every effort. The South Mumbai Returning Officer also discussed the arrangements made to ensure a smooth voting experience for voters in the municipal polls. Speaking to ANI, Jadhav said, "We have a team in place that will assist senior citizens. They will take them to the voting compound...We encourage voters to come and cast their votes. We are making every effort to ensure this. For women, we have created pink booths. The pink polling station means that all the staff working at that booth will be women. The polling station will be decorated in pink, and the women working at that polling station will also wear pink sarees. So, we have introduced this new activity for the people here."
Mumbai Metro Line-3, also known as the Aqua Line Metro, will operate with extended timings on Thursday, January 15, to ensure smooth travel for polling personnel and essential staff across the city. According to the information shared by Mumbai Metro Line-3, additional train services will also be introduced on Thursday to accommodate the movement of election-related staff and voters.
Polls will be conducted for 2,869 seats of the state spread across 893 wards. The elections will decide the fate of 15,931 candidates, including 1,700 in Mumbai and 1,166 in Pune. A total of 3.48 crore voters are eligible to vote in the polls.
The civic body has confirmed that all counting venues will be equipped with CCTV surveillance and adequate police deployment to maintain law and order.
The BMC administration said all counting centres and strong rooms have received the necessary approvals from the Public Works Department (PWD) and the police authorities.
These arrangements are aimed at ensuring a transparent, smooth and secure counting process.
According to an official statement, a total of 227 election wards fall under the BMC limits, for which 23 Election Returning Officers have been appointed. Separate strong rooms and counting centres have been finalised for each Returning Officer’s office.
The counting of votes is scheduled for Friday, January 16, and will be conducted at 23 designated locations across Mumbai, each under the supervision of an appointed Returning Officer.
Polling for the BMC Election 2026 will be held on Thursday across all 227 wards in the city. Voters will elect representatives for the civic body in what is expected to be a high-stakes municipal poll.
