Mumbai: The court has sentenced the accused to 20 years rigorous imprisonment in the case of sexual abuse of a 9-year-old girl in Hussain Tekri Khar in Shivalik Compound under the limits of Nirmal Nagar police station in Mumbai. On December 18, 2022, the victim was playing outside her house when the accused Munawar Ghanu Malik, 52, sexually assaulted her and hid at his friend’s house. The police arrested him. After the sexual assault of the girl, the girl started crying loudly outside her house, after which she told her parents that an indecent act had been done to her. The victim’s mother filed a complaint at Nirmal Nagar police station and the police arrested Munawar. The police followed the matter thoroughly in the sessions court and the accused was convicted. On the advice of Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti and DCP Manish Kalwaniya, the police followed the case in the best possible manner and the accused was convicted.

Thane: In a surprising political development at the municipal level, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indian National Congress have come together to form a governing alliance in the Ambernath Municipal Council, effectively preventing the Shiv Sena from taking control despite its strong performance in the elections.

The Shiv Sena emerged as the single largest party in the recently concluded Ambernath civic polls but failed to secure a clear majority in the council. Taking advantage of the fractured mandate, the BJP stitched together a post-poll alliance with the Congress and other smaller parties to cross the majority mark and form the ruling body.

The new coalition, formed under a development-focused banner, has claimed that its primary objective is to ensure stability, efficient administration, and accelerated civic development in Ambernath. Leaders from the alliance stated that local governance requires practical decision-making beyond traditional political rivalries.

As part of the power-sharing arrangement, the BJP secured the key leadership position in the municipal council, while coalition partners were accommodated in the governing structure. The move has reshaped the political equations in the region and drawn sharp reactions from the Shiv Sena, which accused its rivals of engaging in opportunistic politics.

Shiv Sena leaders expressed disappointment over the alliance, terming it a contradiction of ideological positions and a setback to the mandate of voters. They maintained that the party would play a strong role as the opposition and continue to raise civic issues.

Political observers note that such unexpected alliances are becoming increasingly common in urban local body elections, where numbers and local priorities often outweigh long-standing political alignments. The Ambernath development is being closely watched as it may influence future municipal strategies across Maharashtra.

The formation of this alliance highlights the evolving nature of grassroots politics and underscores how local power dynamics can diverge sharply from state-level and national political narratives.

Mumbai: State Election Commission, Maharashtra has announced a revised schedule for publication of polling station wise voter lists in connection with the Municipal Corporation General Elections 2025-26. The order states that the complete municipality wise voter list shall be published as soon as it is completed. Accordingly, Mumbai Municipal Corporation has received polling station wise voter lists of 226 out of 227 wards from the State Election Commission today, January 6, 2026. The said lists along with polling station wise voter photographs are available for sale at the concerned Central Election Offices from Wednesday, January 7, 2026. The Municipal Administration appeals to the citizens/political parties to purchase these voter lists from the concerned Central Election Offices.