Mumbai BMC Election Results 2026 Live Updates: Highlights

Police are making security arrangements, clearing roads of vehicles, and diverting traffic ahead of the opening of gates at the counting centres.

At the Abhinav Nagar counting centre in Borivli East, R Central ward, authorities have begun allowing one representative per candidate inside. (Reports Swati Deshpande/ TNN)

Several celebrities cast their votes as Mumbai went to the BMC polls on Thursday, including Ranbir Kapoor, Salman Khan, Tamannaah Bhatia, Nana Patekar, Twinkle Khanna, Aamir Khan Kartik Aaryan, Shraddha Kapoor and John Abraham.

Final voting percentage of Mumbai for BMC elections 2026: 52.94%

Second best tally since the year 1992. During 2017 elections it was 55.28%

• 1992:49.14%
• 1997: 44.36%
• 2002:42.05%
• 2007: 46.05%
• 2012:44.75%
  
  (Reported by Richa Pinto/TNN)

• BJP-led Mahayuti ahead: Axis My India predicts a strong performance for the BJP and Eknath Shinde-led Sena, projecting them to win 131–151 seats out of 227.
• Shiv Sena (UBT) projected second: The Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena, in alliance with MNS, is expected to secure 58–68 seats, remaining the second-largest bloc in the BMC.
• Congress lags behind: Congress is predicted to have minimal gains, with a maximum of 25 seats, showing a decline from previous elections.
• Clear edge for ruling alliance: The projections indicate a likely clean sweep for the Mahayuti, suggesting the end of the 30-year dominance of Uddhav Thackeray’s faction.
• Others remain marginal: Smaller parties and independents are expected to win a very limited number of seats, highlighting a primarily bipolar contest between the BJP-Sena and Shiv Sena (UBT) alliances.

• Opposition alleges ink can be wiped off – Parties claim the new marker pens used in the BMC elections can be removed using substances like nail polish remover or sanitizer, raising doubts over the credibility of polling.
• AAP calls election conduct a farce – Ruben Mascarenhas shared videos on social media showing ink removal and alleged that the election process had been reduced to farce.
• NCP blames Election Commission – Clyde Crasto said, “Once again, the Election Commission has failed…from registered voters not finding names on electoral rolls to the use of marker pens,” highlighting repeated administrative lapses.
• MNS and Shiv Sena (UBT) demand accountability – Raj Thackeray criticized the administration for favouring ruling parties, while Uddhav Thackeray demanded suspension of SEC Dinesh Waghmare and BMC commissioner Bhushan Gagrani for irregularities.
• Congress points to potential malpractice – Vijay Wadettiwar warned of bogus voting possibilities and alleged BJP’s use of “unfair means” to influence election outcomes, questioning the SEC’s nine-year.

• Voter turnout remains robust despite complaints – Mumbai’s estimated turnout is around 53–55%, slightly below the record 55% in 2017 but still creditable for a city often seen as politically apathetic. Missing names on voter lists and sudden changes in polling booths were reported, yet citizens turned out in sizable numbers.
  
  
• BJP-Shiv Sena alliance projected as front-runner – Exit polls suggest a clear edge for the BJP and Eknath Shinde-led Sena. Axis My India predicts 131–151 seats, while Saam TV forecasts 119, compared to 58–68 for the Shiv Sena (UBT)-MNS combine. This signals a potential end to the 30-year dominance of the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction.
  
  
• Congress and NCP lose ground – Congress is expected to secure a maximum of 25 seats, down from over 30 in 2017. Both factions of the NCP remain marginal players, highlighting a clear BJP-Sena vs Thackeray cousins contest in Mumbai’s civic politics.
  
  
• Opposition raises concerns over election process – Parties criticized the State Election Commission (SEC), alleging irregularities including use of marker pens for voter identification. The SEC countered that the pens used the same indelible ink as in previous elections, rejecting claims of malpractice.
  
  
• Campaign marked by identity politics and alleged money distribution – The polls were heavily polarised, with emphasis on the “Marathi Manoos” identity and communal rhetoric. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis called for a Marathi and Hindu mayor, and reports of money being given to voters or candidates to withdraw were widespread, intensifying the high-stakes nature of the elections.

The small city of Ichalkaranji registered an impressive 69.8% voter turnout, the highest among the 29 municipal corporations that went to polls on Thursday. Ichalkaranji is having its debut civic elections; its municipality was formed in 2023.
State election officials said they expect overall voter turnout to be near 60%, higher than previous years.
Official turnout figures in Nashik and Kolhapur were announced later in the day. In Nashik, it was 56.6% while Kolhapur registered 66.5%.

By evening, election officials estimated Pune city had nearly 54% voting while Pimpri Chinchwad saw 58%. Mumbai was in the range of 54-56%, with the larger Mumbai Metropolitan Region also reporting good turnouts. Among other corporations, Ahilyanagar was provisionally at 64%, Malegaon at 63%, Jalgaon at 53%, and Dhule at 52%. In Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, turnout was estimated at 60%. As of 5.30pm, Nagpur had recorded 52% turnout, Akola 55.6%, Amravati 53.7%. (By Team TOI)

Although the overall turnout across the state and in Mumbai was considered respectable, participation could have been higher had some voters not faced difficulties in locating their polling booths. The main flashpoint during polling, however, was the use of marker pens instead of indelible ink to mark voters who had cast their ballots.

Opposition parties accused the State Election Commission (SEC) of acting in favour of the ruling Mahayuti alliance, alleging that the marker ink could be easily removed and might allow bogus voting. MNS chief Raj Thackeray claimed complaints were pouring in from across the state, saying the ink could be wiped off using sanitiser. “Earlier, indelible ink was used. This time, new marker pens were introduced. The entire administration appears to be working for the ruling parties,” he alleged.

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray demanded the suspension of State Election Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare and sought action against him and BMC commissioner Bhushan Gagrani over alleged polling irregularities. Claiming that the marker ink was being erased, he said the process had undermined democratic norms, alleging that “not just the ink, but democracy itself is being wiped out.”

Manganlal H Doshi will brook no excuse for failing to vote—which he sees as not only a right but also a responsibility. The 100year-old south Mumbai resident refused to sit this election out and voted enthusiastically while urging youngsters to do their bit too.
Undeterred by their age and ailments, many senior citizens across Mumbai made their way to polling booths. Noted poet, lyricist, author and filmmaker Gulzar (91) voiced their concerns: “Vote, or you won’t have the right to complain [about civic failures]... This is your duty to your nation. (By Team TOI) (Image Credit: IANS)

Voting day at St Anne’s polling station in Pali Hill, Bandra West saw a warm, furry moment on Thursday morning, when Sanjeev and Vandana Das arrived to cast their ballots accompanied by their pets, Muffin and Tashi. With pets not permitted inside the polling booth, NSS volunteers stepped in to help. They looked after the dogs, allowing the couple to exercise their franchise without any hassle. The brief arrangement drew smiles from voters waiting in queue, turning an otherwise routine civic exercise into a light-hearted scene. The couple said they did not want to miss voting and decided to bring their pets along during their morning walk, reports Richa Pinto.

Mumbai, often described as a city indifferent to civic polling, recorded a relatively healthy turnout in the BMC elections held on Thursday after a nine-year gap. The last election in 2017 had seen a 25-year high turnout of 55%, and while the official figures will be released on Friday, State Election Commission officials estimate participation this time to be in the 54–56% range.

This came despite widespread complaints from voters about missing names in electoral rolls and polling booths being changed without prior intimation.

Exit polls have largely projected a clear advantage for the BJP–Shiv Sena alliance over the reunited Thackeray cousins, a result that could bring an end to the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena’s three-decade control of India’s wealthiest municipal corporation.