Maharashtra’s civic polls on January 15 (Thursday), cover 29 municipal corporations, with Mumbai’s Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) drawing the most attention due to its massive Rs 74,400 crore annual budget. Voting runs from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm across 893 wards and 2,869 seats statewide, involving 3.48 crore voters and 15,931 candidates. In BMC, around 1,700 candidates compete for 227 single-member wards after a four-year delay. The BJP-led Mahayuti faces a united front from Thackeray cousins Raj and Uddhav, testing their influence post-2022 Shiv Sena split. Unlike Mumbai’s single-member wards, other corporations use multi-member wards. Results will be counted on January 16 (Friday) amid high political stakes. Schools and colleges in parts of Maharashtra, particularly in areas under the 29 municipal corporations holding civic polls on January 15, are expected to close due to the public holiday declared by the Maharashtra State Election Commission. This measure facilitates voter turnout and smooth polling operations, especially where school premises serve as polling stations.
Maharashtra Municipal Corporation Elections LIVE: 29 civic bodies go to polls, BMC prime battleground
