Maharashtra Municipal Elections: Voting Underway for 29 Corporations Including Mumbai

Voting is currently in progress for 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra, including the pivotal Mumbai civic body. With results set to be announced soon, approximately 3.48 crore voters are participating in this significant electoral event. The elections feature a complex political landscape with various alliances among major parties, including the BJP, Congress, and factions of the Shiv Sena and NCP. Notably, this election marks a shift in voting procedures, allowing voters in cities outside Mumbai to cast multiple votes. The stakes are high, especially in Mumbai, where the richest civic body is up for grabs after a four-year delay. Stay tuned for the results and implications of these elections.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jan 15, 2026, 08:58 IST

Voting Process in Maharashtra

On Thursday, residents of Maharashtra are participating in elections for 29 municipal corporations, including the significant Mumbai civic body. The results are expected to be announced on Friday.

The voting commenced at 7:30 AM and will conclude at 5:30 PM.

Approximately 3.48 crore voters are eligible to choose from 15,931 candidates across the state.

For the first time, voters in cities outside Mumbai will have the opportunity to cast multiple votes to select several corporators for each ward using a panel system. In contrast, voters in Mumbai will cast a single vote due to the traditional one-ward-one-corporator approach.

To ensure a smooth electoral process, a significant security presence has been established, including numerous senior police officers, 11,938 constables, and 42,703 home guards. Additionally, 57 companies of the State Reserve Police Force have been deployed.

Political Landscape and Alliances

The municipal elections feature six major political parties: the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress, two factions of the Shiv Sena, and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Various alliances have been formed among these parties across the 29 municipal corporations.

In Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad, Ajit Pawar’s faction of the NCP is contesting in alliance with the Sharad Pawar-led faction.

In Mumbai, the BJP continues its alliance with the Shiv Sena faction led by Eknath Shinde, while Ajit Pawar's NCP faction is running independently.

The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) has formed an alliance with its former rival, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, along with the NCP faction led by Sharad Pawar. The Congress has partnered with Prakash Ambedkar’s Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi.

Notably, two weeks prior to the elections, 68 candidates from the Mahayuti coalition were elected unopposed after the nomination withdrawal deadline passed on January 2.

Among the 68 unopposed winners, 44 were from the ruling BJP, while the Shinde Sena secured 22 seats, and Ajit Pawar’s NCP group won 2. However, these victories did not grant the ruling alliance control over any municipal corporation.

In response to allegations of irregularities in the nomination process, the Maharashtra State Election Commission has requested reports from the municipal corporations involved.

Significance of the Mumbai Elections

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, recognized as India’s wealthiest civic body with an annual budget exceeding Rs 74,400 crore, is witnessing elections after a four-year hiatus. Over 1.03 crore voters will select 227 corporators from around 1,700 candidates.

To maintain order during the elections, more than 28,000 police personnel have been deployed throughout Mumbai.

In a notable development, the Thackeray cousins have reunited two decades after Raj Thackeray departed from the Shiv Sena to establish the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena.

The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) is contesting 163 seats, while the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena is competing for 53 seats, and the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) is vying for 11 seats.