BMC elections 2026: Check voting date, timings and result date for Mumbai, other municipal corporations

MAharashtra is voting on th for elections to 29 municipal corporations, with bombay at the centre of the spot. The repugn for the Brihanmumbai Municipal corp (BMC) has become a key political battle, as the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance takes on the united Thackeray front for control of the financially powerful civic body.Polling will be held for 2,869 seats spread across 893 wards. Voting will begin at 7.30 am and continue until 5.30 pm on January 15, earlier HT reported.Also read| All eyes on BMC as campaigning ends for Maharashtra civic pollsA total of 3.48 crore voters are eligible to exercise their franchise and decide the outcome for 15,931 candidates contesting the elections. Mumbai has 1,700 candidates in the fray, while Pune has 1,166 candidates.Counting and security arrangementsThe counting of votes is scheduled for January 16. To ensure the smooth conduct of the elections and counting process, more than 25,000 police personnel, including senior officers, will be deployed across Mumbai.Public holiday in Mumbai on polling dayThe Maharashtra Election Commission has declared a public holiday on January 15 across areas where polling will take place. The move is aimed at ensuring maximum voter participation and smooth conduct of the civic polls. The holiday will apply to regions under 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra, including Mumbai, news agency PTI reported.Also read| Why independent candidates are declining in BMC pollsAccording to the State Election Commission, January 15 will be a public holiday for:• Government offices• Semi-government offices• Corporations and boards• Public sector undertakings• Banks• Central government offices located within the BMC limitsThe decision follows preparations reviewed during meetings held on January 6 and 7, attended by senior election, police and civic officials.On polling day on Thursday, all eyes will be on Mumbai, which is seeing a three-cornered fight between the BJP-Shiv Sena, the Shiv Sena (UBT)-MNS and the Congress-VBA alliances. The undivided Shiv Sena held majority in the BMC, the country’s richest civic body, for 26 uninterrupted years. For the Thackeray family, control of the BMC has been key to their political fortunes.For the BJP, which won 82 seats to the Shiv Sena’s 84 in the last elections in 2017, control of the BMC will strengthen the party’s dominance over not just the financial capital but also Maharashtra.(With inputs from PTI)