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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.
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.
