Mumbai civic body polls to be held on January 15
What's the story
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections will be held on January 15, 2026. The results will be declared the next day. The State Election Commission (SEC) also announced that elections for 28 other municipal corporations will be conducted on the same day. Candidates can file their nominations from December 23-December 30, with verification on December 31. They can withdraw their nominations till January 2. The final list of candidates will be released on January 3 along with party symbols.
Election details
Nomination process and campaign expenses for candidates
The maximum expenditure allowed for campaigning is ₹15 lakh per candidate and a caste validity certificate will be mandatory during the nomination process. The term of elected Corporators in the BMC formally ended in March 2022, prompting the appointment of the Municipal Commissioner as administrator to oversee the city's affairs until new elections. The Supreme Court had mandated the State Election Commission to conclude all local body elections by January 31, 2026, as they had been due since 2022.
Political landscape
BMC elections crucial amid political tensions
The upcoming BMC elections are particularly important given the recent political tensions. The Shiv Sena (UBT) has alleged discrepancies in the voters' list, claiming "vote chori" or vote theft with fictitious and duplicate voters. The party has started a ground-level verification drive across all civic wards to address these concerns. This election will be the first after the 2022 split in Shiv Sena, making it a direct contest with Eknath Shinde-led faction of BJP-led Mahayuti alliance.