Mumbai : Maharashtra’s State Election Commission, headed by Dinesh Waghmare, has revealed that upcoming local body elections—including for 29 municipal corporations like Mumbai’s BMC—will be held in three phases, likely between October and November 2025. The decision stems from a shortage of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), logistics challenges, and adherence to a Supreme Court mandate to complete polling within four months .
Key Developments & Context
Rationale for Phasing: The SEC currently has around 65,000 EVMs—but would require approximately 150,000 to conduct a single‑day statewide vote. As a solution, elections will be staggered in three phases across regions:
Phases 1 & 2: North and South Maharashtra, Vidarbha, West Maharashtra, and Marathwada
Phase 3: Mumbai, Thane, and Konkan
Supreme Court Order: On May 6, 2025, the apex court ordered Maharashtra to issue election notifications within four weeks and complete the entire process—including delimitation, reservation notifications, roll division, voting, and counting—by September 2025 .
Ward Delimitation & Reservations: Ward boundaries across the state are being redrawn based on 2011 census data. Mumbai will retain its 227 single-member wards, with 50% reserved for women and scheduled caste/ST & OBC candidates. The ward structure is being finalized by September 4 (now extended in some cases to October 6) to accommodate public objections and legal compliance .
Timeline Adjustments: While earlier deadlines set September 4 for final ward publication, the state has extended it to October 6, pushing projected polling into late November or early December 2025 .
Political Implications: The SEC now mandates that registered political parties contest at least five seats in civic polls to retain their registration. Meanwhile, political formations such as the Mahayuti coalition (BJP, Shiv Sena, NCP) are strategizing seat-sharing arrangements and planning a united front for the elections .
Summary Table
Element Details
Election Type Local body polls across 29 municipal corporations
Phasing Three phases to manage EVM limitations and logistical needs
Tentative Poll Period October–November (possibly extending to December) 2025
Ward Structure Based on 2011 census; Mumbai retains 227 single-member wards
Reservation Rule OBC reservation reverted to pre‑2022 quota (“triple test”)
Regulatory Priority SEC directive: parties must contest ≥5 seats to retain status
The phased polling approach underscores the challenges Maharashtra faces in conducting large-scale civic elections while balancing regulatory timelines, logistical constraints, and political equity.
