Mumbai: Although the Supreme Court has directed the Election Commission of Maharashtra to hold local self-body elections within the next four months, civic authorities have raised significant concerns. Officials emphasised that conducting the elections during the monsoon season would create substantial challenges, including logistical difficulties, lower voter turnout, and complications in overall execution.
The BMC has completed three years under state-appointed administration, marking the longest such period in its 150-year history. On March 8, 2022, Iqbal Singh Chahal, the then Municipal Commissioner, was appointed as the state-appointed administrator of the BMC.
In March 2024, Bhushan Gagrani succeeded Chahal as the new administrator and continued in the role. Currently, the BMC is being administered by the state, with the issue of Other Backward Class (OBC) reservations in the civic elections and ward delimitation still pending in the Supreme Court (SC).
On Tuesday, the Apex Court directed the state Election Commission (EC) to issue a notification for the elections within four weeks, with the goal of completing the entire process within four months. This directive is in line with the law that was in effect in the state before 2022.
“For Mumbai, the four months of monsoon, from June to September, are crucial, and all agencies are on high alert during this time. If the elections are to be held during this period, it will pose significant challenges. We are now awaiting directions from the state EC so we can proceed with the necessary actions,” said an official from the civic election department.
According to civic sources, the process for conducting elections involves several stages, including declaring the lottery for ward reservations, accepting suggestions and objections, and finalising the voter list. Following this, nomination forms are accepted, scrutinised, and voting is conducted. This entire process typically takes at least 85 days. In 2022, the BMC conducted a lottery for elections in 236 wards, with nine additional wards resulting from delimitation carried out during the Maha Vikas Aghadi government.
