A total of 29 municipal corporations including Mumbai will undergo elections on Thursday, January 15. In Mumbai, after almost three years without elected civic leaders, a major political battle will be witnessed between the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance and the united Thackeray front to gain control over the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
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.
What time can you vote?
Voting will begin at 7.30 am and continue until 5.30 pm on January 15 with polling for 2,869 seats spread across 893 wards. The Election Commission of Maharashtra has fixed the voting hours from early morning to late afternoon to help citizens cast their ballots conveniently.
Independent and party-supported candidates
A total of 3.48 crore eligible voters are expected to decide the fate of 15,931 candidates contesting the elections. These municipal elections will witness a mix of party-backed and independent candidates across wards.
Out of these there are 1,700 candidates for Mumbai, while Pune has 1,166 candidates. Voters will decide representatives across 227 Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) wards. This includes male and female candidates contesting for the 227 seats that make up India’s richest civic body.
Counting of votes on January 16
On Thursday, which is the BMC election voting day, polling stations will open from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm for all 227 wards in Greater Mumbai. Voters will go to the polls in a single phase and counting of votes will begin at 10 am on Friday, January 16, and results are expected to announced by the same day EOD.
Thursday has been declared a public holiday in municipal areas to encourage voter turnout. Voter information slips have been distributed among residents which mention details of the voter’s polling station, ward number and roll details.
Voters eligible even without Voter ID card
If a voter’s Voter ID card isn’t available, they can still cast their vote by showing any one of several accepted identity proofs, like passport, driving licence or Aadhaar card, at the polling centre.
Public holiday in Mumbai and 28 municipal corporations on January 15
A public holiday has been declared on January 15 by the Election Commission of Maharashtra across areas which will undergo voting. 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.
According to the Maharashtra Election Commission, January 15 will be a public holiday for The holiday will apply to government offices, semi-government bodies, corporations and boards, public sector undertakings, banks, and central government offices located within the limits of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
Most government and civic-run schools and colleges in Mumbai are expected to remain closed due to the public holiday. Several private institutions may also suspend classes, particularly if their premises are being used as polling stations.
All eyes on Mumbai
On polling day on Thursday, the spotlight will be on Mumbai, which will witness a fight between the BJP-Shiv Sena, the Shiv Sena (UBT)-MNS and the Congress-VBA alliances to gain control over India’s richest civic body, the BMC. The undivided Shiv Sena held majority in the BMC for 26 years at a go. For the Thackeray family, control of the BMC plays a major role in their political fortunes. The BJP won 82 seats to the Shiv Sena’s 84 in the last elections in 2017. For the Bharatiya Janata Party, control of the BMC will strengthen the party’s dominance over not just Mumbai but also the entire state.
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