In a critical update on the state’s local democracy, Maharashtra’s State Election Commissioner, Dinesh Waghmare, announced that civic body elections—including those for municipal corporations, zilla parishads, panchayat samitis, and municipal councils—will be held in phases after Diwali, instead of all at once. The phased timeline is necessitated by manpower and logistical constraints, with the process expected to begin by late October and conclude between December 2025 and mid-January 2026. 

A controversial element of the announcement is that Voter-Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines will not be used. Waghmare clarified that VVPATs are ill-suited for the multi-member ward system, which includes multiple candidates per ward, making their deployment technically and logistically impractical. Instead, elections will proceed using EVMs only. The proposal to revert to ballot papers was also dismissed. 

In preparation for the polls, the ward delimitation process is underway with specific deadlines:

• Zilla parishads and panchayat samitis: by end-August

• Municipal councils: by September 30

• Municipal corporations: by October 10
  Meanwhile, to meet equipment needs, additional EVM units are being procured from both the Electronic Corporation of India Ltd (ECIL) and the Madhya Pradesh State Election Commission. 

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Looking Back: 2017 Municipal Corporation Results in Key Cities

For local readers and civic followers, here’s a quick flashback to the 2017 municipal election results, featuring direct links to detailed coverage on mycorporator.in:

• Nagpur Municipal Corporation (2017):
  BJP won a commanding majority under the four-member ward system, which was later reinstated in 2022 after electoral reforms. Learn more: Nagpur 2017 results on mycorporator.in 

• Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) 2017:
  Shiv Sena emerged largest with 84 seats, closely followed by the BJP with 82. The Congress held just 31 seats. Full breakdown: BMC 2017 results on mycorporator.in 

• Nashik Municipal Corporation (2017):
  BJP led with 66 seats, Shiv Sena followed with 35, and both Congress and NCP secured 6 each. Independents and others rounded out the council. More details: Nashik 2017 results on mycorporator.in