Voting has begun for the Maharashtra Civic polls today as of 7.30 am, and will be open till 5.30 pm for 2,869 seats across 893 wards. 3.48 crore electors are set to choose from 15,931 candidates today.
In Mumbai, 1,700 contenders are in the fray for 227 BMC seats in polls taking place after a four-year hiatus. The civic body’s annual budget exceeds Rs 74,400 crore.
Over 25,000 police personnel have been stationed across Mumbai to maintain security during the BMC elections and the counting process. The city has 10,231 polling stations, with 64,375 officers and staff assigned to election duties.
The cities voting in the civic elections include Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Navi Mumbai, Vasai-Virar, Kalyan-Dombivli, Kolhapur, Nagpur, Mumbai, Solapur, Amravati, Akola, Nashik, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Pune, Ulhasnagar, Thane, Chandrapur, Parbhani, Mira-Bhayandar, Nanded-Waghala, Panvel, Bhiwandi-Nizampur, Latur, Malegaon, Sangli-Miraj-Kupwad, Jalgaon, Ahilyanagar, Dhule, Jalna and Ichalkaranji.
Actor Akshay Kumar Casts Vote
Actor Akshay Kumar arrived at the Gandhi Shikshan Bhavan polling station on to cast his vote. The actor was seen entering the polling booth as voting continued across the city.
#WATCH | Mumbai: After casting his vote, Actor Akshay Kumar says, “Today, the voting for BMC is taking place. As Mumbaikars, we have the remote control with us today. I would request all the people of Mumbai to come out in large numbers and cast their votes. If we have to be the… https://t.co/AOlWRmnx1V pic.twitter.com/19RmBgMFB7
— ANI (@ANI) January 15, 2026
After casting his vote, the Bollywood actor urged Mumbaikars to actively participate in the civic polls.
“Today, the voting for BMC is taking place. As Mumbaikars, we have the remote control with us today. I would request all the people of Mumbai to come out in large numbers and cast their votes. If we have to be the real hero of Mumbai, we shouldn’t do dialoguebaazi, instead come out and cast out votes,” he said.
Tata Chairperson Casts Vote, urges Mumbaikars to Show Up
Tata Group Chairperson Natarajan Chandrasekaran has cast his vote, urging citizens to participate actively in the civic polls.
“It is a great privilege to have the opportunity to vote, and I would encourage and request everyone to exercise their franchise and come out in large numbers. Local issues are extremely important, and I am glad we are having a BMC election. I am looking forward to the new administration,” he said.
Twinkle Khanna Cast Her Vote, Says it is out of Habit and Hope
#WATCH | Mumbai: After casting her vote for the BMC elections, Actress Twinkle Khanna says, “I think it gives us a sense of control, a little bit of power over the narrative, and I am voting both out of habit and hope. ” pic.twitter.com/ygl3FPi5XM
— ANI (@ANI) January 15, 2026
Ex-Union Minister Ram Naik Casts Ballot
Former Union Minister Ram Naik cast his vote describing the civic polls as long overdue.
“This municipal election was long overdue. People are enthusiastic, but actual voter turnout remains to be seen. I have always campaigned and voted early at my polling station… As for trends, the BJP and its allies are likely to get the most votes. The Mayor will be chosen from the elected representatives, and several candidates are capable of effectively leading Mumbai,” the 92-year-old politician said.
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat Asks Mumbaikars to Exercise democratic duty
After casting his vote in the Nagpur Municipal Corporation elections, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat highlighted the importance of citizen participation in a democratic setup.
Speaking to the reporters outside the polling station, Bhagwat said, “In a democratic setup, voting is needed to elect the government, and hence it is the duty of every citizen. With balanced opinion and consideration for people’s welfare, it is our duty to vote for the right candidate. It is the first duty of the day, and that is why I came here first to stand in line and vote”.
Director and Actor, Ashutosh Gowarikar’s Brother, Avinash Gowarikar Casts Vote, Talks about Lack of Voting Slips
#WATCH | Mumbai: After voting for Maharashtra civic elections 2026, director and actor Ashutosh Gowariker’s brother, Avinash Gowariker, says, “I voted today. Everything is good, the venue is comfortable, there’s no problem with anything except the fact that there are no voting… pic.twitter.com/qgy26gKJMZ
— ANI (@ANI) January 15, 2026
Legendary Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar Shows off His Inked Finger
#WATCH | Mumbai: Legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar shows his inked finger after casting his vote for the BMC elections.
He says, “This is a very important election. It gives us a chance where we can express our opinion through votes. Everyone should come out and cast their… https://t.co/a3GAx722A7 pic.twitter.com/dweQFzV796
— ANI (@ANI) January 15, 2026
Actor Nana Patekar Cast his Vote
Veteran actor Nana Patekar reached Balmohan School early this morning to cast his vote in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections, urging citizens to participate responsibly.
His presence highlighted the importance of civic duty as Mumbai votes to decide the future… pic.twitter.com/mIOPftbMbB
— The CSR Journal (@thecsrjournal) January 15, 2026
Speaking to the media, he said he traveled from Pune to Mumbai to fulfil his democratic duty and urged others to go out of their way to do the same.
#WATCH | Mumbai: After casting his vote for the BMC elections, Actor Nana Patekar says, “… I understand that the sign of my existence is to vote and for this I travelled 3-4 hours (from Pune) and I am returning immediately. So please do vote.” pic.twitter.com/HL7yHUvcaR
— ANI (@ANI) January 15, 2026
Union Minister Piyush Goyal Casts his Vote, Calls it a Privilege to participate in the Festival of Democracy
#WATCH | Maharashtra: Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal says, “It is a great privilege to participate in this festival of democracy. Mumbai is India’s financial and commercial capital. We are all proud to be Mumbaikars. We see the future of a developed and… https://t.co/qeHYhtWLjV pic.twitter.com/2PH0sAzsku
— ANI (@ANI) January 15, 2026
Musician Vishal Dadlani Casts his Vote, Says We Must Take Responsibility
#WATCH | Mumbai: After casting his vote for the BMC elections, Musician Vishal Dadlani says, “…Hopefully, whoever wins will hold the elections on time. This is very important for the country, for democracy. But given the state of our city in the last few days, the hope is that… pic.twitter.com/v9vGyNuJ52
— ANI (@ANI) January 15, 2026
Actor Suniel Shetty Cast his vote, calls this the most important election
#WATCH | Mumbai: After casting his vote for the BMC election, Actor Suniel Shetty says, “I think by far, this is one of the most important election so everyone should come out and cast their votes. We just keep complaining about the work of BMC. Today, we should do some work…… pic.twitter.com/aVhfohJKax
— ANI (@ANI) January 15, 2026