Mumbai: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday announced bypolls for two Rajya Sabha seats, including one from Maharashtra that fell vacant following the resignation of NCP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Ajit Pawar earlier this month. The polling for the Upper House seat will be held on June 18, with counting scheduled the same evening.

According to the ECI, the Maharashtra vacancy arose after Sunetra Pawar resigned from the Rajya Sabha on May 6, even though her term was set to continue till July 4, 2028. A second Rajya Sabha bypoll has also been announced for Tamil Nadu following the resignation of C. Ve. Shanmugam.

As per the schedule released by the Commission, the election notification will be issued on June 1, while June 8 has been fixed as the last date for filing nominations. Scrutiny of nomination papers will take place on June 9 and candidates can withdraw their nominations till June 11.

Voting for the Rajya Sabha bypoll will be conducted on June 18 between 9 am and 4 pm, with counting of votes scheduled at 5 pm the same day. The entire election process will be completed by June 20.

The Election Commission has also issued detailed voting guidelines for MLAs participating in the election. It clarified that only the integrated violet-coloured sketch pen provided by the Returning Officer can be used for marking preferences on ballot papers. Use of any other pen will render the ballot invalid. The Commission further stated that adequate arrangements, including deployment of election observers, will be made to ensure free, fair and transparent polling.

Mumbai: Police have arrested 19 people so far in connection with the stone-pelting and violence that erupted during the massive anti-encroachment demolition drive at Garib Nagar in Bandra East, even as Western Railway said nearly 90 per cent of the demolition work has now been completed.

According to police officials, 15 accused were produced before the Bandra court on Thursday and were remanded to police custody till May 26. Three more accused are scheduled to be produced before the court on Friday, while one minor detained in the case has been sent to the Children’s Remand Home. Police said the investigation is still underway and more arrests are likely in the coming days.

The violence had broken out earlier this week after tensions escalated during the demolition of alleged illegal structures near Bandra Terminus. Stone-pelting incidents and clashes with police had turned the area tense, leaving several police personnel injured and prompting authorities to register cases against over 100 people.

Meanwhile, Western Railway’s large-scale anti-encroachment operation continued for the fourth consecutive day on Friday under heavy security deployment. The drive is being jointly carried out by Western Railway, Mumbai Police, civic officials and railway security agencies to ensure law and order is maintained throughout the operation.

Addressing the media, Western Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Vineet Abhishek said proactive arrangements had been made to ensure the demolition process remains smooth, safe and efficient. He stated that around 90 per cent of the demolition work had been completed by the end of Day 3.

“In contrast to the riot-like situation witnessed on Wednesday, Thursday’s demolition drive remained peaceful,” officials said. Nearly 1,100 personnel and 13 machines were deployed on Thursday for what is being described as Western Railway’s biggest anti-encroachment drive in recent years.

Authorities said the operation is now focused on dismantling softer structures and upper-floor portions built above eligible hutments, while ensuring that ground-floor rehabilitation-eligible structures are not damaged.

Officials added that debris removal operations are continuing round-the-clock. “Work does not stop at night and debris-clearing continues continuously,” the railway spokesperson said.

The demolition drive is expected to continue till May 23, after which reduced manpower will remain on-site for post-demolition clearance and fencing work to prevent fresh encroachments on railway land.

Mumbai: witnessed its first noticeable pre-monsoon showers of the season on Friday, with moderate rainfall reported from Mulund and nearby parts of the eastern suburbs like Bhandup, offering much-needed relief from persistent heat and humidity.

Videos of the showers quickly surfaced on social media, showing wet parked vehicles and rain-soaked surroundings in what residents described as the city’s first proper spell ahead of the monsoon season. The footage, reportedly shot from a residential building parking area in Mulund, captured buses, bikes and cars drenched as rain swept through the locality.

The development comes just days after the India Meteorological Department (IMD) indicated that monsoon conditions were gradually building up. IMD Mumbai Director Bikram Singh had earlier stated that the southwest monsoon is expected to hit Kerala around May 26 and, if conditions progress normally, could reach Maharashtra by June 2 and Mumbai around June 5.

Weather observers tracking rainfall activity across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) had also predicted favourable conditions for showers. Popular weather enthusiast Rishikesh Agre, known online as ‘Mumbai Rains’, had posted earlier in the day that atmospheric conditions appeared conducive for better rain activity across Mumbai and surrounding regions.

“Mumbai may finally witness better rain activity today evening onwards. Yesterday’s clouds briefly developed towards ghats but failed to sustain momentum. Today and tomorrow look far more favourable for showers across several parts of MMR. Keep umbrellas ready,” he wrote on X.

Interestingly, the showers arrived on a day when Mumbai also recorded significantly improved air quality levels. The city woke up to clearer skies and cleaner air, with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) remaining firmly in the ‘good’ category.

According to air quality data, Mumbai’s AQI stood at 29 during the early hours on Friday. Several localities in south and western Mumbai reported exceptionally clean air. Andheri recorded an AQI of just 8, while Worli stood at 10. Gamdevi recorded 13, while Kandivali East and Walkeshwar both registered AQI levels of 15.