Voting is underway in 29 municipal corporations of Maharashtra, with the high-profile BMC election being held after a four-year delay.
Over 15,900 candidates are contesting 2,869 seats; Mumbai witnesses a direct contest between reunited Thackerays and the BJP–Shiv Sena alliance.
Counting will take place on January 16, while markets and offices remain shut today to boost voter turnout.
Voting has begun across 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra in one of the state’s most closely watched civic elections, with the spotlight firmly on the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), India’s richest local body.
A total of 3.48 crore voters are eligible to choose from 15,931 candidates contesting 2,869 seats. In Mumbai alone, nearly 1,700 candidates are in the fray for 227 wards, making it the most intense political battleground of the day.
The election marks the first civic contest in Mumbai since 2017 after a four-year delay and has turned into a prestige fight between the reunited Thackeray brothers and the BJP–Shiv Sena alliance. Political observers see the polls as a test of legacy for the Thackerays, who are attempting to reclaim control of the civic body long dominated by the undivided Shiv Sena.
Voting is being held in major cities including Mumbai, Pune, Thane, Nagpur, Nashik, Navi Mumbai and Pimpri-Chinchwad. The Maharashtra government has declared a public holiday in all polling regions to encourage participation, while both the BSE and NSE remain closed for the day.
Early visuals showed senior figures stepping out to vote, including RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, who cast his ballot in Nagpur, and Shiv Sena leader Shaina NC, who visited Siddhivinayak Temple before polling began.
The BMC, with an annual budget of over ₹74,400 crore, controls critical infrastructure, housing and urban projects in Mumbai, making its control politically and financially crucial.
Counting of votes will take place on Friday, January 16, with results expected to shape Maharashtra’s political narrative ahead of the next state assembly elections.
