Overview
- The State Election Commission set voting for 29 municipal corporations on January 15, 2026, with counting on January 16, and opened nominations from December 23 to 30 with withdrawals by January 2.
- Election officials flagged about 1.5 million suspected duplicate voter entries statewide—roughly 1.1 million in Mumbai—and said verification and undertakings will continue until 48 hours before polling; VVPAT will not be used.
- The Model Code of Conduct came into immediate effect, following a rush of project launches and clearances, including Eknath Shinde’s push for a 295–300 acre Central Park at Mahalaxmi Racecourse and other Mumbai–Thane initiatives.
- Alliance dynamics sharpened as Devendra Fadnavis said the BJP and Ajit Pawar’s NCP will stage a ‘friendly fight’ in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, while Mahayuti partners seek seat-sharing pacts in most other cities.
- The polls restore elected leadership after years of administrator rule across major civic bodies, with high political and financial stakes highlighted by the BMC’s roughly ₹74,427 crore FY2025–26 budget and intensified campaign rhetoric targeting Shiv Sena (UBT).