BMC Election 2026 Results LIVE Updates: Counting Of Votes Begins, Exit Polls Predict A BJP-Shiv Sena Sweep

Counting of postal ballots is in progress in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad. Very early trends indicate that the BJP is leading on four seats in the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation and is ahead on five seats in the Pune Municipal Corporation.

BJP-Shiv Sena alliance leads in 15 wards in Mumbai, Thackerays ahead in 10, show very early leads in BMC polls at 10:15 am.

Counting of votes for the 29 municipal corporations of Maharashtra has begun. The most prominent of civic bodies this time is the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) of Mumbai where elections are taking place after a hiatus of nearly four years.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has appointed 23 Returning Officers to oversee counting day operations across the city’s 227 electoral wards. Strong rooms and designated counting centres under each officer’s jurisdiction have been finalised, with all required clearances obtained from the Public Works and Police departments.

Municipal Commissioner and District Election Officer Bhushan Gagrani stated that comprehensive arrangements have been put in place to ensure the counting process remains transparent, orderly, and time-bound. Preparations include the setup of counting halls, table management, deployment of personnel, CCTV monitoring, fire safety provisions, and medical assistance. He added that close coordination with the Police Department has been ensured to maintain law and order throughout the exercise.

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar recorded the highest participation at 59.82%, followed by Pimpri-Chinchwad with 57.71% and Navi Mumbai at 57.15%. Vasai-Virar closely trailed with 57.12%, while Thane saw a turnout of 55.59%.
Mumbai’s Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) registered 52.94%, marginally ahead of Pune at 52.42%. Nagpur reported 51%, Mira-Bhayander 48.64%, and Kalyan-Dombivli recorded around 45% voter participation.

In the 2017 BMC elections, Shiv Sena, which has controlled the Mumbai’s civic body since 1985, came close to losing control to the BJP. The then undivided Sena won 84 seats, narrowly ahead of the BJP’s 82, in a 227-member corporation where neither secured a clear majority. The impasse led to a fragile arrangement, with the BJP backing the Sena’s claim to the mayor’s post.

Since then, the political landscape has shifted dramatically. The collapse of the original alliance and the subsequent split within the Shiv Sena have altered the balance of power, giving the BJP a fresh opening to challenge the Sena’s long-held dominance and push for Mumbai’s first BJP

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) last went to the polls in 2017. The term of its elected corporators formally ended on 7 March 2022, but fresh elections could not be conducted in time. As a result, the country’s richest civic body has since been run by an administrator.

Municipal elections across Maharashtra, initially due in 2020, were first postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The delay stretched further when polls scheduled for March 2022 were put on hold following a Supreme Court ruling that made the inclusion of Other Backward Classes (OBC) reservations in local body elections contingent on a comprehensive empirical study.

A significant turn came on 21 July 2022, when the Supreme Court accepted the State Backward Classes Commission’s report and permitted up to 27 per cent OBC reservation in Nagar Panchayat, Nagar Parishad and BMC elections. However, the court simultaneously made it clear that the State Election Commission (SEC) should not re-notify election programmes for 367 local bodies, including the BMC, solely to implement the quota.

A day later, the SEC announced a revised ward reservation for the BMC’s 236 seats—156 for the general category, 15 for Scheduled Castes, two for Scheduled Tribes and 63 for OBCs—prompting the Supreme Court to intervene again. The court ordered the status quo to be maintained and barred the SEC from issuing a fresh election notification.

The prolonged impasse finally drew sharp judicial intervention. On 4 August 2025, the Supreme Court instructed the SEC to complete local body elections in Maharashtra by January 2026, in line with the revised ward structure and the 27 per cent OBC reservation. The apex court also strongly criticised the commission for the extended delay, underscoring the urgency of restoring elected local governanc

AIMIM national spokesperson Waris Pathan voiced optimism about the party’s prospects in the Maharashtra civic body elections, stating that it would register “significant success.” Speaking to ANI, he dismissed the exit polls as unreliable, saying such predictions have often proven wrong in the past.

He pointed out that the real picture would emerge only after the vote counting on Tuesday. Pathan added that the party was confident of receiving strong public support and believed the electorate had blessed AIMIM with their mandate.

Counting centres for BMC election have been established zone-wise, covering all administrative wards, including R North, R Central, R South, P North, P East, P South, K West, K East, H East, H West, T, S, N, M East, M West, L, F North, F South, G North, G South, D, C, B, A and E.

The venues include municipal schools, sports complexes, colleges, auditoriums, stadiums and administrative buildings located in areas such as Dahisar, Borivali, Kandivali, Malad, Goregaon, Andheri, Santacruz, Mulund, Ghatkopar, Chembur, Kurla, Sion, Dadar, Worli, Girgaum and Byculla. Each centre has been assigned specific ward numbers and a designated Returning Officer.

Exit polls released post voting on Thursday have projected a decisive victory for the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, indicating a major setback for the Thackeray-led factions.

Surveys conducted by Axis My India, JVC and Sakal suggest a clear sweep for the BJP–Shiv Sena alliance in Mumbai. According to the Axis My India exit poll, the Mahayuti alliance is projected to win between 131 and 151 seats in the 227-member civic body. The JVC exit poll has forecast 138 seats for the alliance, while Sakal has predicted a victory in 119 seats.

Voting in polls to 29 municipal corporations across Maharashtra ended at 5.30pm on Thursday. State Election Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare told PTI, after voting ended at 5.30pm, that the turnout so far was 46-50 per cent.

He said this is higher than the figure for the 2017 civic polls and that he was satisfied with the turnout. As per SEC data, the voter turnout was 41.13 per cent till 3.30 pm across the state.

Controversy erupted during polling for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and 28 other municipal corporations in Maharashtra, with opposition parties alleging that marker pens are being used in place of traditional indelible ink to mark voters' fingers, potentially enabling fraud.

Voters and leaders, including Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray, have claimed the marks can be easily removed using hand sanitiser, nail polish remover, or simple rubbing, raising fears of double voting. Thackeray, after casting his vote, described the practice as "unacceptable" and urged citizens to remain vigilant, alleging it could facilitate manipulation in the high-stakes polls. Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant demonstrated the removal on video, demanding action against officials.

Political parties across the spectrum are announcing welfare schemes and cash benefits ahead of civic elections, ignoring how these will be funded. The BMC’s reserves have shrunk due to costly infrastructure projects, lack of new revenue sources, and rising dependence on borrowings. These announcements ignore the harsh financial reality of the country’s richest municipal body and risk pushing a heavier fiscal burden onto Mumbai’s taxpayers in the coming.