Maharashtra is gearing up for an extensive round of local body elections on December 2, a politically pivotal moment that will serve as an early referendum on the performance and grassroots influence of the Devendra Fadnavis-led BJP in the state. The polls, which cover 246 municipal councils and 42 nagar panchayats, mark the first phase of a three-tier election cycle mandated by the Supreme Court to be completed by January 31, 2026.

More than 1.07 crore registered voters will cast their ballots across 13,355 polling stations, making this one of the largest and most diverse urban–semi-urban electoral exercises Maharashtra has witnessed in recent years. The stakes are high not only for the ruling Mahayuti alliance but also for the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which is seeking to regain local footholds after suffering heavy losses in the 2024 assembly elections.

A Political Barometer After BJP’s 2024 Sweep

The Maharashtra local body elections come almost exactly a year after the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance delivered a sweeping victory in the November 2024 assembly polls, securing 235 of the 288 seats. With public expectations riding high and administrative control firmly in hand, the December 2 elections will indicate whether that support has trickled down to municipal levels or whether local grievances and regional alliances will challenge the ruling coalition’s dominance.

Political analysts describe the polls as a litmus test for the Fadnavis government, offering an early measure of public mood before larger electoral battles ahead, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections expected in mid-January 2026.

Poll Preparations and Voter Participation

State Election Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare announced the poll schedule on November 4, bringing the model code of conduct into immediate effect. Campaign deadlines were extended until 10 pm on December 1, with counting scheduled for December 3.

These elections will determine the fate of 6,859 councillor seats and 288 municipal council presidents. The nomination process attracted heavy participation: more than 51,000 nominations were filed between November 10 and November 17. Scrutiny took place on November 18, and candidates were allowed to withdraw their nominations until November 21.

The SEC confirmed that Electronic Voting Machines will be used across all polling stations, with over 66,000 poll staff deployed to ensure smooth, secure, and orderly conduct.

Reservation and Election Structure

Of the total seats up for election:

• 3,492 are reserved for women
• 895 for Scheduled Castes
• 338 for Scheduled Tribes
• 1,821 for Other Backward Classes

Candidates contesting for municipal president positions face an expenditure cap of ₹15 lakh, while those contesting for member positions may spend up to ₹12 lakh.

The geographic span of the elections covers a vast swath of Maharashtra, including:

• 27 councils in the Konkan region
• 59 councils in Nashik division
• 60 councils in Pune division
• 55 councils in Nagpur division

Ten of the participating municipal councils are newly formed, as are 15 of the 42 nagar panchayats. The remaining bodies have completed their five-year terms.

Political Maneuvering and Early Wins

The run-up to the elections has been intense. The ruling Mahayuti alliance—comprising the BJP, Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar’s faction of the NCP—faces the combined challenge of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which includes Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT), Sharad Pawar’s NCP (SP), and the Congress.

In a notable early advantage, the BJP secured 100 councillor posts and three municipal president positions unopposed, even before a single vote was cast. State BJP chief Ravindra Chavan described this as a reflection of voter trust in Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Fadnavis, claiming that “development-oriented policies” discouraged opposition parties from fielding candidates in some regions.

However, internal friction has surfaced as well. In Nanded’s Loha Nagar Parishad, local NCP MLA Pratap Patil Chikhalikar criticised the BJP’s decision to distribute six tickets to members of the Suryavanshi family, including Gajanand Suryavanshi, his wife, his brother, and his sister-in-law. The move has sparked a debate about dynastic politics within local governance.

Opposition Concerns Over Voter Lists

Opposition parties have repeatedly raised concerns regarding alleged irregularities in the voter lists prepared after the July 1 revision. Claims of duplicate entries, bogus voters, and flawed data triggered calls for postponement and thorough verification.

In response, the Election Commission adopted additional safeguards, including:

• Marking suspected duplicate entries with double stars
• Mandatory strict identity verification for affected voters at polling booths
• Launching a mobile app offering candidate profiles, affidavits, and voter information
• Publishing booth-wise voter lists on November 7 for public scrutiny

These methods aim to improve transparency and undermine allegations of fraud.

A Supreme Court-Mandated Poll Cycle

The December 2 elections form only one part of a court-directed timeline. The Supreme Court has ordered Maharashtra to complete all pending local body elections by January 31, 2026. While municipal councils and nagar panchayats vote first, schedules are still awaited for:

• 29 municipal corporations
• 32 Zilla Parishads
• 336 Panchayat Samitis

Among these, the most anticipated is the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) election—the richest civic body in India. Last conducted in 2017, the BMC polls are expected around mid-January and could reshape political narratives ahead of the 2026 political calendar.

A Crucial Moment in Maharashtra Politics

As Maharashtra heads into the December 2 polls, the political stakes are unusually high. For the Fadnavis-led government, the elections will reveal whether its statewide mandate translates into sustained grassroots support. For the MVA, the polls are an opportunity to regain lost political territory and challenge the Mahayuti’s authority ahead of major upcoming contests.

With massive voter participation, intense political alliances, emerging controversies, and a Supreme Court-backed timeline, the Maharashtra local body elections are set to offer an early glimpse into the state’s evolving political landscape—one that will likely influence its governance trajectory well into 2026.