BMC elections 2026: Not a single nomination filed on Day 1

Not a single nomination was filed on Tuesday on the first day of the process for the January 15 elections to the 227seat Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation BMCThough more than 4100 nomination forms were issued so far not a single one was submitted to election authorities on the first day of filing papers by candidates a BMC release saidBhushan Gagrani holds meeting with representatives of various political partiesBMC commissioner and Maharashtra governmentappointed administrator Bhushan Gagrani held a meeting with representatives of various political parties at the civic bodys headquarters and briefed them on functioning of 23 offices set up across Mumbai to facilitate electionrelated workHighest number of nomination forms distributed from the MWest ward officeThe release said the highest number of nomination forms 419 were distributed from the MWest ward office followed by 347 from the L ward in Mumbais eastern suburbs The lowest numbers were recorded in South Mumbai with 18 and 25 forms distributed in the A and B wards respectivelyThe 23 offices will remain operational from 11 am to 5 pm between December 23 and December 30 to accept nomination forms from candidates However nomination forms for the BMC elections 2026 will be distributed only till 4 pm on December 30 Nomination papers will neither be distributed nor accepted on December 25 and December 28 said the releaseThe scrutiny of nomination papers received from candidates will be conducted on Wednesday December 31 2025 from 11 am onwards After completion of the scrutiny process the list of validly nominated candidates will be published immediately the BMC saidThe last date for withdrawal of candidature is January 2 between 11 am and 3 pm while the allocation of symbols and publication of the final list of candidates will take place on January 3According to the BMC elections 2026 schedule polling for the municipal corporation will be held on January 15 from 730 am to 530 pm while counting of votes will take place the next dayAll stages of scrutiny of nomination papers verification of validity withdrawal of candidature and announcement of the final list of candidates will be implemented as per the programme announced by the State Election Commission SEC Candidates and political parties must strictly adhere to the prescribed timelines for the nomination process the release statedWhile filing nomination papers candidates must submit all required documents affidavits and mandatory fees within the stipulated time it addedIndias largest civic body with a budget of more than Rs 74000 crore for 202526 is among 29 municipal corporations in the state going to polls on January 15Except the Aam Aadmi Party AAP other prominent political parties were yet to finalise their candidates for the 227 civic wardsThe AAP has released its first list of 21 candidates and also announced names of 40 star campaigners which included its top leaders like Arvind Kejriwal and Manish SisodiaThe undivided Shiv Sena ruled the countrys richest civic body for nearly two decades till 2017 with the BJP as its junior ally