What time does BMC election counting begin? Here’s what voters in Mumbai should know

THe counting of votes for the Brihanmumbai Municipal corp (BMC) elections in Maharashtra testament take up at 10 am on fri, civic officials confirmed. The treat will take place simultaneously at 23 counting centres spread across Mumbai.Municipal Commissioner and District Election Officer Bhushan Gagrani said all preparations have been completed to ensure the counting begins on time and runs smoothly, news agency ANI reported. Each of Mumbai’s 227 civic wards has been placed under the charge of a Returning Officer, with counting halls and strong rooms finalised and cleared by both the Public Works Department and the police.ALSO READ | Maharashtra civic polls: Thackeray flags erasable electoral ink; probe orderedOfficials said the entire exercise will follow the Election Commission’s rules and the Model Code of Conduct. Special arrangements have been made for security, traffic regulation and crowd control around counting venues to avoid any disruptions.On Thursday, Gagrani personally reviewed the readiness of the centres along with senior civic and election officials. He stated that systems are in place to ensure the process is fair, transparent and completed within the scheduled timeframe, the report said. This includes CCTV monitoring, proper seating and table layouts, fire safety measures and access to medical support at all locations.ALSO READ | Maharashtra civic body polls: When and where to watch BMC, civic poll resultsA total of 2,299 staff members have been deployed for the counting, including supervisors, assistants and support staff. All personnel involved have undergone training ahead of the exercise.To manage the rush, authorities have planned traffic diversions, parking zones and designated areas for media coverage near counting centres. Results will be compiled and announced using a computer-based system to minimise errors, the report noted.ALSO READ | BMC Elections 2026: Five key civic issues, from air quality to infrastructure, that matter to MumbaikarsEntry into counting halls will be restricted to authorised candidates, their representatives and accredited media personnel carrying valid election-issued identity cards. The BMC has urged everyone involved to strictly follow instructions issued by the Maharashtra State Election Commission, the report stated.Phase-wise counting may delay BMC resultsThe BMC has said that vote counting in Mumbai will follow a phase-wise process, which could slow down the declaration of final results. Unlike the 2017 civic polls, when votes from all 227 wards were counted at the same time, counting this year will begin for two wards at a time at each centre. This means that counting will initially start for just 46 wards across 23 centres, and not the entire city at once. Because of this staggered approach, early trends for all seats will not be available immediately, and officials have warned that the final outcome for all wards may be announced much later than usual, news agency PTI reported.Gagrani acknowledged that the revised method could push results back by about an hour, though officials believed focusing manpower on fewer wards at a time could improve accuracy.(With inputs from ANI, PTI)