Preparations for the much-anticipated local body elections have begun, with the state government taking concrete steps to ensure timely polls. Following a directive from the Supreme Court, which mandates that elections to Municipal Corporations, Municipal Councils, Nagar Panchayats, Zilla Parishads, and Panchayat Samitis be conducted within four months, the government has initiated the ward delimitation process.
In light of the court’s directive, the Ministry of Urban Development has issued detailed orders regarding the ward structuring for all municipal bodies across Maharashtra. As per these orders, Mumbai will have 227 single-member wards for the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections.
In contrast, multi-member ward structures have been approved for other major Municipal Corporations. According to government sources, cities such as Navi Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan-Dombivli, Vasai-Virar, Pune, Nagpur, Nashik, and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar will have four-member wards.
Separate orders have also been issued for the Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats, signaling a clear administrative push to align the electoral machinery across all local bodies.
With the Supreme Court setting a strict four-month timeline, the local body elections are expected to be held in October–November this year. This includes polls for the Municipal Corporations, Municipal Councils, Nagar Panchayats, Zilla Parishads, and Panchayat Samitis.
As political parties gear up for one of the most critical electoral contests in Maharashtra’s urban and rural landscapes, the delimitation and restructuring of wards is expected to play a key role in shaping electoral strategies.