Various flying squads have been constituted to conduct the Mumbai Municipal Corporation General Elections 2025-26 in a transparent and impartial manner and to ensure strict and effective implementation of the Model Code of Conduct. Appropriate and trained manpower has been provided for these teams. All the officers and employees of the flying teams shall discharge their duties honestly, timely and with full responsibility. Constant vigilance should be maintained to ensure that there is no violation of the election code of conduct during the election process and prompt action should be taken against any violation as per the rules, said Municipal Commissioner and District Election Officer Bhushan Gagrani.

As per the schedule of Municipal General Elections 2025-26 announced by the State Election Commission, Maharashtra, voting will be held on Thursday, January 15, 2026 from 7.30 am to 5.30 pm. Accordingly, the Model Code of Conduct is being implemented in the entire municipal limits. For this, department-wise teams have been set up in the Mumbai Municipal Corporation area. This includes Code of Conduct Squad, Static Surveillance Team, Videography Surveillance Team and Flying Squad Team etc.

Additional Municipal Commissioner (City) Dr. Ashwani Joshi said that SST, FST and VST squads have been appointed in connection with the Municipal Corporation general elections. The final picture of the elections has become clear. Therefore, all the forces should be alert to prevent irregularities in the elections. The police and excise department staff should also work together with the returning officer. It is a big responsibility of all of us to conduct the elections peacefully and peacefully. Dr. Ashwani Joshi said that the Municipal Corporation administration is working in coordination with other agencies for this.
Municipal Corporation Commissioner Gagrani said that a code of conduct team is working in every administrative division under the supervision of the Divisional Assistant Commissioner. Citizens can lodge any information or complaint regarding violation of the Model Code of Conduct by directly contacting the Code of Conduct Cell in the concerned Division Office. A fixed surveillance team has been appointed at the check points where illegal transportation of items that may influence or entice voters, money, liquor and weapons may take place.

This team is deployed at a fixed place (check post). The main work of keeping an eye on illegal transportation of cash and liquor, transportation of weapons is being done by the fixed surveillance team. Similarly, flying squads have also been deployed to monitor activities that may influence or entice voters and keep an eye on illegal transportation of money and liquor or other suspicious activities. These teams are patrolling the ward and are acting like the fixed surveillance team. These teams conduct appropriate investigation, take legal action by making seizure if necessary. Further, if any violation of the code of conduct is noticed, it should be reported to the concerned Election Decision Officer and the concerned Police Station. In addition, a videography surveillance team is working at the level of each Election Decision Officer to provide information to the Election Decision Officer without any delay about important events, election campaign rounds, meetings as well as incidents of excessive expenditure and violations of the code of conduct taking place in the constituency.

Instructions have been given to record videos of incidents/rallies, campaign rounds, meetings or incidents violating the code of conduct taking place in the constituency during the code of conduct period and provide information about the same to the head of the code of conduct team and the concerned Election Decision Officer. The team leaders should personally supervise the above tasks, the officers/employees of the assigned team should coordinate with each other and complete the work within the stipulated time. If any negligence or negligence is found in the election work, disciplinary action will be taken as per the provisions of the rules.

Municipal Commissioner Gagrani said that the single window scheme has been implemented to ensure that candidates can obtain all types of permits from different departments easily and on time. Under this scheme, candidates will not need to visit the office of each department separately. The necessary permits of various departments of the Municipal Corporation including Fire Department, Licensing Department, Police Department, Traffic Police and Regional Transport Department are being made available at one place.

Navi Mumbai, Jan 07: Navi Mumbai police have imposed traffic restrictions in parts of Vashi from January 14 to January 16, between 6 am and 9 pm, in view of the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) election process, including distribution of polling material, voting and counting.

The restrictions have been enforced as strong rooms for wards 16, 17 and 18 have been set up at the NMMC Swimming Pool Building in Sector 12, Vashi.

Polling material will be distributed from the strong room on January 14, voting will be held on January 15, and counting of votes will take place on January 16.

Three polling booths have also been established at the same premises, leading to a significant movement of election officials, vehicles carrying sensitive election material, candidates and their supporters.

As per the traffic notification, the movement of all types of vehicles from Kopar Khairane towards Vashi railway station will be prohibited on the stretch between Blue Diamond Junction and Bassien Catholic Bank Junction during the specified period.

Similarly, vehicular movement from Vashi railway station towards Kopar Khairane will be restricted on the road between Catholic Bank Junction and Perfect Ceramic–IDBI Bank Junction.

To minimise inconvenience, the traffic police have announced alternative routes. Vehicles travelling from Kopar Khairane to Vashi railway station have been advised to proceed via Kopri Signal and Palm Beach Road to reach their destinations.

Those heading from Vashi railway station towards Kopar Khairane have been directed to take a left turn at Gavdevi Temple, travel via the Juhugaon creek-side road within Sector 12, Vashi, and continue through IDBI Bank Junction.

The restrictions will not apply to police vehicles, fire brigade units, ambulances, government vehicles, vehicles requisitioned for election duty, and other essential service vehicles.

Issuing the order under the relevant provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Navi Mumbai, Tirupati Kakade said the measures were necessary to ensure the smooth and secure conduct of the election process.

“Considering the movement of election officials, sensitive polling material and candidates during the NMMC election process, traffic restrictions have been imposed in parts of Vashi to maintain security and avoid congestion,” DCP Kakade said.

The Navi Mumbai traffic police have appealed to commuters to cooperate and follow the revised traffic arrangements during the election period.

New Delhi, Jan 7: Business chamber PHDCCI has, as part of its wishlist for Union Budget 2026–27, sought easier access to finance at lower interest rates and a reduction in the regulatory burden, to cut costs for the MSME sector, which is driving growth and employment generation in the economy.

Micro, Medium and Small Enterprises (MSMEs) hold the key to catapulting India’s economy to a 10 per cent growth path, according to a statement issued by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) on Wednesday.

The MSME sector’s contribution to manufacturing, exports and employment generation in the country has shown an increasing trend. In 2025, the sector contributed as much as 30 per cent to manufacturing output and has emerged as the second-largest employer next only to agriculture, it added.

More than 7.30 crore small and micro enterprises have registered on the Udyam Registration Portal and Udyam Assist Platform (UAP), from July 2020 to December 2025, bringing them into the organised sector ambit. This trend holds the key to initiating targeted policies and schemes in a structured way, the statement said.

“Put together, our Union Budget 2026–27 proposals present a comprehensive policy package aimed at easy access to finance for growth, reducing regulatory burdens, and strengthening much-needed institutional support for MSMEs,” PHDCCI CEO & Secretary General, Ranjeet Mehta, said.

The business chamber has sought reintroduction of an interest subvention scheme for MSMEs with a 2 per cent interest subsidy on new and incremental loans from banks and NBFCs to bring down the cost of credit for the sector. This is expected to enhance global competitiveness amid the current geopolitical volatility.

The chamber has also stated that the costs of projects have gone up since the Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana started in 2015; therefore, loan limits should be revised upwards under the scheme.

It further stated that in order to cushion MSME exporters amid rising global tariff pressures, the Interest Equalisation Scheme on pre- and post-shipment export credit should be reintroduced. This includes extending eligibility to service exporters, alongside manufacturing exporters, to broaden the export support basket for improving price competitiveness in global markets.

The business chamber also observed that to grow at a faster rate, MSMEs require cheaper financing options. To do so, money from the Fund of Funds in the form of equity should be infused, especially for startups and will cater to seed capital requirements for these startups.

The PHDCCI has also pointed out that under the MSME Development Act, 2006, only small businesses can approach Facilitation Councils to get help with payments that are late, and this help should also be available to medium-sized businesses that need this protection too.

In order to fast-track the adoption of modern, green, and eco-friendly technologies, the Credit-Linked Capital Subsidy Scheme should be enhanced with an investment ceiling of Rs 2 crore, up from the limit of Rs 1 crore, as it no longer reflects current technology costs.

Besides, the chamber has sought amendments to Section 44AB of the Income Tax Act to exempt all micro enterprises with turnover up to Rs 10 crore from mandatory tax audits, irrespective of profit margins. This is expected to reduce compliance costs, estimated at Rs 75,000–Rs 1.5 lakh annually.