Around 1,700 candidates are contesting 227 seats in the crucial Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, with the civic body confirming on Wednesday that all preparations are in place to ensure smooth and orderly polling on Thursday. According to an official statement, distribution of EVMs and other election materials was completed on Wednesday at 23 divisional centres across the city. Voting will take place from 7.30 am to 5.30 pm, while vote counting is scheduled for January 16 at 23 designated locations under the supervision of Returning Officers. The corporation has finalized counting centres for all 227 wards, each equipped with secure strong rooms for safe storage of election equipment and systems to maintain transparency during counting.

Civic authorities said polling staff reported in large numbers from Wednesday morning, receiving essential materials such as voter lists, seals, indelible ink, and official documents after proper verification. To maintain law and order, over 25,000 police personnel will be deployed citywide. In total, 10,231 polling stations have been established, with 64,375 officers and staff assigned election duty.

To boost voter participation, the BMC has introduced several initiatives, including decorated polling booths, pink booths, selfie points, media facilitation centres, and special assistance for senior citizens and persons with disabilities. Adequate security arrangements have also been made for polling day.

In a first-of-its-kind move, the civic body has implemented geo-fencing and live vehicle tracking to monitor transport used for election operations. As per another release, 2,865 vehicles including 1,023 BEST buses, 101 state transport buses, 1,160 private vehicles, and 581 taxis are being tracked from a central control room at the civic headquarters in south Mumbai to ensure timely and secure movement of election staff and materials.

The high-stakes contest for control of the cash-rich BMC, which has an annual budget exceeding Rs 74,000 crore, features a fierce battle between the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance and the reunited Thackeray cousins — Raj and Uddhav — leading MNS and Shiv Sena (UBT). Parties such as the NCP, NCP (SP), Congress, and Samajwadi Party are also in the race.