Mumbai: State Election Commission approves ward boundaries ahead of BMC polls

The Maharashtra State Election Commission has approved the ward boundaries for the upcoming elections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation BMC officials said on MondayThe finalised ward structure was published in the Maharashtra government gazette and uploaded on the BMCs official website on MondayThe State Election Commission has approved the ward formation for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation BMC General Elections2025 The finalized ward structure has been published in the Government Gazette and on the BMCrsquos official website on 6th October 2025 the BMC said in a post on XThe State Election Commission has approved the ward formation for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation BMC General Elections2025 The finalized ward structure has been published in the Government Gazette and on the BMCrsquos official website under the linkhellipmdash Mumbai BMC mybmc October 5 2025A total of 492 suggestions and objections were received before the deadline on September 4 The commission heard these between September 11 and September 13 before finalising the ward formation the officials saidThe State Election Commission earlier published a draft delimitation notification on August 22 outlining the proposed geographical boundaries of BMC wards and invited suggestions and objections from peopleElections to various civic corporations in Maharashtra including the cashrich BMC are likely to be held by the end of this yearEarlier pulling up the Maharashtra State Election Commission for noncompliance of its order the Supreme Court on September 16 directed the state local body polls stalled since 2022 to be completed by January 31 2026 without further extensionThe bench was irked over the failure of the state election commission SEC to comply with its order mandating a timely conclusion of the stalled local body electionsElections of all local bodies including Zila Parishads Panchayat Samitis and all municipalities shall be conducted by January 31 2026 No further extension shall be granted to the state and the State Election Commission In case any other logistic assistance required application can be filed promptly before October 31 2025 No prayer will be entertained thereafter a bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi saidThe bench was informed that the delimitation for municipalities was underway and the SEC had sought an extension on grounds including insufficient EVMs besides the unavailability of school premises due to board examsWe are constrained to observe that SEC has failed to take prompt action for compliance of this courts directions in the prescribed time schedule However as a onetime concession we deem apt to issue following directions it saidThe bench added Pending delimitation shall be completed by October 31 2025 No further extension shall be granted Delimitation exercise shall not be a ground to defer electionsThe Chief Secretary Maharashtra to immediately deploy requisite staff to perform duties of returning officers and other assisting staff as may be required it directedWith inputs from Agencies