Poll Buzz: Maharashtra Local Body Election Dates Likely to Be Declared This Week

by Webdesk
03 Nov 2025

Mumbai: The local body elections in Maharashtra are likely to be announced in the next few days. According to sources, elections for 246 municipal councils and 42 nagar panchayats are expected to be held in November. Once the election dates are declared, the model code of conduct will come into effect in those areas until the counting of votes is completed.

Officials from the State Election Commission (SEC) said that the process to finalize the election schedule is in the last stage. The commission had asked the Election Commission of India (ECI) to allow the use of a supplementary voter list that included names updated till October 15. However, since the ECI did not give approval, the SEC will now conduct the elections based on the voter list as of July 1.

A senior SEC official said, “We will use the July 1 voter list for the upcoming elections. There will be no supplementary list for voters added between July 1 and October 15.”

According to sources, elections for 332 zilla parishads and 336 panchayat samitis are likely to be held in December, while elections for 29 municipal corporations, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), are expected in January. The elections will take place in three phases, and the code of conduct will apply in each phase as per the schedule.

Meanwhile, opposition parties have raised objections about using the July 1 voter list. They have alleged that the list contains several errors, duplicate entries, and fake names. The Shiv Sena (UBT) has said that it will move court with proof of irregularities in the voter list and demand that the elections be postponed.

Officials, however, believe that once the elections are officially announced, it will be difficult for the court to intervene. A senior official said, “Once the election process starts, the courts generally avoid interfering. However, since the elections will be held in three stages, political parties may still approach the court before a particular phase begins. Whether the court accepts their plea or not will depend on the situation.”

During the model code of conduct period, the government cannot announce any new schemes or policies that target voters in the areas where elections are being held.

As per official data, the voter list for the state assembly elections in October 2024 had 9.7 crore registered voters. By July 1, 2025, this number had increased by about 14.7 lakh, bringing the total number of voters to 9.85 crore. However, people who turned 18 years old between October 1, 2024, and July 1, 2025, will not be eligible to vote in these local body elections.

This is because the ECI has not extended the cut-off date for new voter registration beyond October 1, 2024. The commission had also not allowed a Special Summary Revision (SSR) after that date, as it was planning to carry out a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) later. Officials said that if an SSR had been allowed, new voters could have registered during that period.

The draft voter list for the 29 municipal corporations will be published on November 6. Citizens will be able to submit objections and suggestions till November 14, and the final voter list will be released on November 28.However, the SEC cannot add or delete names from the voter list once it is finalized. The commission is only allowed to correct clerical errors, change the ward allocation of a voter, or fix issues where a name already on the electoral roll was left out by mistake.

To avoid duplicate entries, the SEC is using new software that helps identify voters whose names appear more than once. If a voter’s name is found in multiple wards, they will have to submit a declaration confirming the specific ward in which they will cast their vote.

With all major preparations complete and the schedule expected soon, Maharashtra is set to enter a busy election season. The local body polls will be conducted in multiple phases over the coming months, covering municipal councils, nagar panchayats, zilla parishads, panchayat samitis, and municipal corporations across the state.

The announcement of the election dates will officially start the poll process, marking the beginning of political activity and campaigning at the local level across Maharashtra.

Image Courtesy:

02 Jan 2026

BMC Elections

Poll Buzz: Maharashtra Local Body Election Dates Likely to Be Declared This Week

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