Mumbai: Under the Mumbai Municipal Corporation General Elections 2025–26, show-cause notices have been issued to a total of 6,871 officers and employees for remaining absent from their assigned election duties. Out of these, 2,350 officers and employees subsequently participated in the election process. However, police action will be initiated against 4,521 officers and employees who failed to attend training sessions, the actual polling process, or election duty despite repeated notices since Monday, 12 January 2026.

Additional Municipal Commissioner (City) Dr. Ashwini Joshi has adopted a strict stand and warned of severe action against those found negligent. In this connection, an important meeting was held on Saturday, 11 January 2026, at the Municipal Corporation Headquarters. The meeting was attended by Joint Commissioner (Taxation and Collection) Vishwas Shankarwar, Deputy Commissioner (General Administration) Kishor Gandhi, Assistant Commissioner (Taxation and Collection) Gajanan Bele, Zonal Deputy Commissioners, and Assistant Commissioners of all administrative departments.

As per the Mumbai Municipal Corporation General Elections 2025–26 schedule, polling will be held on Thursday, 15 January 2026. Attendance at training sessions was made mandatory for all officers and employees appointed for election duty. Those who remained absent from training were given a final opportunity on Saturday, 10 January 2026. Dr. Ashwini Joshi had earlier warned that strict disciplinary and legal action would be taken under the Representation of the People Act, 2020, against officers and employees who remained absent or showed negligence during the election process. Accordingly, action has now been initiated.

The ongoing action includes officers and employees of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation as well as those from nationalised banks, BEST, BSNL, HPCL, insurance companies, LIC, MHADA, MTNL, the Postal Department, Railways, RCF, NABARD, and other government, semi-government, and public sector undertakings.

Dr. Ashwini Joshi stated that elections are a constitutional and legal responsibility, and negligence in this regard is considered a serious offence. As per the directive, police notices will be served at the offices of the concerned 4,521 employees starting Monday, 12 January 2026.

For the Mumbai Municipal Corporation General Elections 2025–26, the total number of voters is approximately 1 crore 3 lakh 44 thousand 315 (10,344,315). Conducting an election of this magnitude requires a large workforce. Polling will take place on 15 January 2026, while vote counting is scheduled for 16 January 2026. The administration is currently facing a significant shortage of staff, making it necessary to take strict decisions.

The administration is committed to conducting the election process in a free, fair, transparent, and disciplined manner. Dr. Ashwini Joshi has therefore made it clear that any delay, negligence, or violation of instructions will not be tolerated. All officers and employees are directed to immediately accept and faithfully discharge their assigned election duties, failing which legal and administrative action will be unavoidable.

Communal tension has spread in Mumbai’s Dharavi area after two people, including a tempo driver, were attacked on suspicion of beef. Due to the hooliganism of Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad, the communal atmosphere in Dharavi deteriorated and due to a group clash, the police have arrested 8 people. A case has been registered against them under 118 BNS. On suspicion of beef, Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad workers attacked a tempo and damaged its glass and door, and attacked the driver and staff in it with sticks. After this, the local youth here intervened and took the youth out of the crowd. After this, the matter turned violent. The police have arrested 8 people so far while controlling the situation. Law and order is maintained in the area here, while the situation is still tense. The police will take strict action against the culprits in this matter. This has been confirmed by Mumbai DCP Mahendra Pandit. After the attack on a tempo in Dharavi 90 feet, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal activists raised slogans of Jai Shri Ram and then staged a protest against Muslims, after which the situation deteriorated and the police later reached the spot and brought the situation under control. Peace is currently prevailing in Dharavi.

Mumbai: The main voting process for the Mumbai Municipal Corporation general elections 2025-26 will be held on Thursday, January 15, 2026. A public holiday has been declared on this occasion. The General Administration Department and the Department of Industries, Energy, Labour and Mines of the Government of Maharashtra have issued an ordinance in this regard. This public holiday will be applicable in the Mumbai Municipal Corporation area.

To ensure the effective implementation of this decision, the Mumbai Municipal Corporation administration has formed separate ‘Vigilance Teams’ for Mumbai city, the eastern suburbs, and the western suburbs.

This public holiday will apply to Central and State Government offices, semi-government offices, public institutions, banks, etc., in the Mumbai Municipal Corporation area. The General Administration Department’s ordinance also clarifies that this holiday will apply to voters in the municipal election constituency, even if they are employed outside the city, so that they can exercise their right to vote.

In addition, the Department of Industries and Labour has also issued separate orders regarding the public holiday. This holiday will also apply to all establishments, factories, shops, private companies, all commercial and other institutions, residential hotels, food and beverage establishments, theaters, trading and industrial units, information technology companies, shopping centers, malls, and retailers.

The ordinance also states that if, in exceptional circumstances, it is not possible to grant a full day’s leave to officers, employees, and workers engaged in dangerous or essential public services or institutions—where absence could cause significant disruption—they should be given a special leave of two to three hours instead of a full day’s holiday for voting.

If any institution within the jurisdiction of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation fails to grant a holiday or the stipulated leave on the polling day, action will be taken through the Shops and Establishments Department. Vigilance teams have been appointed for Mumbai city, the eastern suburbs, and the western suburbs for this purpose. Citizens can contact 9122-31533187 to register complaints. With the aim of ensuring maximum participation of citizens in the democratic process, a public holiday has been declared on polling day so that no voter is deprived of their right to vote due to work commitments. Voters are urged to actively participate in this celebration of democracy by casting their votes.

Municipal Commissioner and District Election Officer Bhushan Gagrani has requested all voters to exercise their franchise on Thursday, January 15, 2026, the day declared as a public holiday.