Mumbai Municipal Corporation Mumbai Municipal Corporation has directed the Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani to ensure strict implementation of the code of conduct during the elections and to ensure the process.

The Returning Officer should take necessary precautions to ensure that the general elections of the Municipal Corporation are held in a fearless, free and transparent environment. Before preparing the final list of polling stations, a live inspection of the polling stations should be carried out. Officers and employees related to the election process should be appointed within the stipulated time and they should be trained. Municipal Corporation Commissioner and District Election Officer Bhushan Gagrani have given various instructions to keep various teams working in connection with the elections. Gagrani has also directed that security measures be taken for effective implementation of the code of conduct by the police, excise and other departments. As per the direct election programme for the Mumbai Municipal Corporation General Elections 2025-26, a joint meeting of the officers of the Municipal Corporation, Returning Officers, Police, Excise Department officers was held at the Municipal Corporation Headquarters. Municipal Corporation Commissioner and District Election Officer Mr. Bhushan Gagrani was also present as Chairman.

Additional Municipal Corporation Commissioner (City) Dr. Ashwini Joshi, Special Duty Officer (Election) Mr. Vijay Balmwar, Joint Commissioner (Tax Assessment and Collection) Mr. Vishwas Shankarwar, Deputy Commissioner (Reforms) Mr. Sanjog Kabre, Deputy Commissioner (General Administration) Mr. Kishore Gandhi, Additional Commissioner (General Administration) Mr. Ambekar Gandhi, Deputy Commissioner (General Administration). Konkan Division Mrs. Farogh Mukadam, District Election Officer Mr. Vijay Kumar Suryavanshi and 23 Election Officers were present.

Municipal Commissioner and District Election Officer Bhushan Gagrani said that the State Election Commission has fixed the criteria for the determination of election polling stations. According to this, there are about 10 thousand 111 polling stations in the limits of Mumbai Municipal Corporation. Facilities like electricity supply, drinking water supply, toilets, ramps etc. have been provided at these polling stations. The Election Officer will inspect and confirm it. After that, the final list of polling stations should be prepared. A ‘Voter Assistance Centre’ should be set up near the polling station to help voters find their names. He directed that information boards should be put up at polling stations to inform the voters.

The process of appointing officers and employees required for the election process is underway. Training will be given to the officers and employees appointed for election work. Detailed guidance will be given on the voting process, election laws, model code of conduct, EVM handling and responsibilities at the polling station. Training of all employees is mandatory for the success of the election process. The above instructions should be strictly followed. The Returning Officer should contact the Deputy Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation Circle, Assistant Commissioner of Administrative Departments. Gagrani also directed that action should be taken in a coordinated manner.

To ensure effective and strict implementation of the model code of conduct, all necessary precautions should be taken in collaboration with the Police Department, Excise Department and other concerned departments. A strict watch should be kept on the malpractices committed to influence the voters during the election period. Special vigilance should be taken in sensitive and highly sensitive areas to maintain law and order. Regular patrolling, check posts, checking of vehicles and immediate action should be taken on suspicious movements. If any violation of the model code of conduct is found, immediate and strict action should be taken against the concerned as per the rules, Gagrani has directed.

The Mumbai Anti-Narcotics Cell had arrested two drug peddlers in 2017 and recovered drugs from their possession and now the court has sentenced these drug peddlers to 20 years in prison and a fine of Rs 1 lakh. Drug peddlers Praveen Dilip Vaghela and Ramdas Pandurang were arrested by ANC’s Ghatkopar and the MD’s car was also seized during the search of the accused.

Mumbai: The Mumbai Municipal Corporation elections have been called but the political parties have not yet reached an electoral agreement. The Maha Vikas Aghadi and Mahayoti have started holding meetings regarding the electoral agreement, but despite this, no conclusion has been reached by all the parties, due to which the electoral agreement of the political parties in the BMC elections is still pending. The Uddhav Thackeray government fell in the Maharashtra Assembly in 2022 and now Uddhav Thackeray’s power has decreased and only 20 MLAs of Uddhav Thackeray have won, while Shinde Sena and BJP have maintained their power. The Mumbai Municipal Corporation elections have been announced and on January 15, the people will exercise their democratic right and the votes will be counted on the 16th and an announcement will be made on the same day. A round of meetings is underway between Shinde Sena and BJP regarding the electoral understanding and seat sharing, but so far they have not reached any conclusion. An understanding has not been reached between BJP and Shinde Sena regarding the Mahim, Parel, Dadar Byculla, and Kalabha areas because these areas contain a Marathi population along with Uttar Bharatiya. Both parties have claimed these areas. Due to organizational issues, Shinde Sena has claimed these areas and has said that due to organizational stability, these areas should be given to Shiv Sena. BJP voters have increased in the last election. BJP’s strength has increased here due to businessmen and Hindutva voters. Therefore, now the possibility of an electoral alliance at the local level is clear, while the alliance is still pending in Maha Vikas Aghadi because due to the alliance between Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray, Congress and NCP have not yet taken any decision on the electoral alliance. In such a situation, if there is no electoral alliance in Maha Vikas Aghadi and Mahayoti in BMC, then this contest will be more interesting because in this election, two Shiv Sena, two NCP and other parties will try their luck and the number of candidates entering the electoral fray will also increase.