Maharashtra Government Delays Civic Ward Formation Deadline, BMC Elections Likely Post-Diwali

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government on Monday extended the deadline for the formation of wards under the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and other civic bodies by over a month, pushing it from September 4 to October 6.

The revised timeline indicates that elections to the BMC and other municipal corporations are unlikely to be held before Diwali, which falls between October 18 and 23 this year, reported Hindustan Times.

Details On Ward Formation Deadline

An official notification issued by the state’s Urban Development Department detailed the new schedule, which applies to municipal corporations across categories A, B, C, and D. According to the report citing the revised timetable, civic commissioners of corporations such as the BMC, along with those in cities like Pune, Nashik and Nagpur, are required to submit draft ward formation proposals to the Urban Development Department between September 9 and 15. Following clearance from the State Election Commission, the final notification for ward boundaries must be issued between October 3 and 6.

For smaller municipal corporations categorised under Class D, the final notification will be issued between October 9 and 13. Municipal councils, which govern smaller towns and cities, are required to finalise and issue their ward demarcation between September 26 and 30.

No Role In Revising Timetable: State Election Commission

Interestingly, the State Election Commission clarified that it had no role in revising the timetable, stating that the process remains under the purview of the state government.

All civic bodies in Maharashtra, including the BMC, have been functioning without elected representatives since January 1, 2024, or earlier, following the expiry of the previous corporators’ terms. The delay in local body elections has been attributed first to the COVID-19 pandemic and later to a prolonged political dispute between the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and the Mahayuti alliance regarding ward restructuring.

Maharashtra Sets Stage For Civic Polls With Ward Formation Notification; BMC To Retain 227 Wards

Earlier this month, on June 10, the government directed the BMC to begin the process of drafting its ward formation list. It was also decided that the BMC would return to a single-member ward system for its 227-seat body. In contrast, all other municipal corporations will continue with a four-member-per-ward format. The ward formation will be based on population data from the 2011 Census.

The delay pushes the long-pending civic elections further into the year, with key administrative functions in Mumbai and other major cities continuing under the supervision of state-appointed administrators.