Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, May 19: Mumbai is poised to witness elections for 227 electoral wards in the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls, according to sources in the civic body. This signals a return to the pre-2022 ward structure, following a Supreme Court directive urging the state government to conduct long-delayed local body elections within four weeks.

During its tenure, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government had increased the number of BMC wards from 227 to 236. However, this decision faced legal challenges, particularly concerning the implementation of Other Backward Classes (OBC) reservations. The recent Supreme Court ruling emphasized conducting elections as per the structure existing before 2022—effectively nullifying the MVA’s ward expansion move.

An official from the BMC’s election department confirmed that preparations have been initiated. “We will begin with redrawing ward boundaries and conducting the lottery for reservation. Given the court’s stance, the number of wards is expected to remain at 227,” the official said.

The BMC has been under administrative control since March 7, 2022, when the five-year term of elected representatives ended. The delay in holding elections stemmed largely from legal proceedings related to OBC quota implementation.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had previously contested the MVA’s decision to increase wards, arguing that such changes should be based on the latest census data. In the 2017 civic polls, the undivided Shiv Sena emerged as the largest party with 84 seats, closely followed by the BJP with 82. The Congress secured 31, and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) had seven members, six of whom later joined Shiv Sena.

Following the 2022 Shiv Sena split, 26 former corporators shifted allegiance to Eknath Shinde’s faction, adding further intrigue to the upcoming polls in one of Asia’s wealthiest civic bodies.