The State Election Commission of Maharashtra announced on Tuesday that the local body elections in the state will be conducted in a phased manner, with the first phase of polling scheduled for December 2, 2025. This announcement marks the beginning of a crucial electoral exercise that will determine leadership in both urban and semi-urban areas across the state.

First Phase of Elections

According to the State Election Commissioner, Dinesh Waghmare, the first phase of polling will include elections for 246 municipal councils—which govern smaller cities—and 42 Nagar Panchayats, urban local bodies that serve areas transitioning from rural to urban setups. These elections will be critical in determining local governance for communities spread across Maharashtra, and the results for the first phase are expected to be declared on December 3, 2025, the day after voting concludes.

Scope and Scale of the Polls

The elections will see voters electing a total of 6,859 members and 288 presidents across various local self-government bodies. With an electorate of approximately 1.7 crore eligible voters, the exercise is one of the largest local body elections in recent years. To facilitate voting, 13,355 polling centers have been set up across the state.

Voting will be conducted using Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), ensuring a streamlined and technologically enabled process. The election schedule also outlines critical dates for candidates: the last date to file nominations is November 17, with scrutiny to be conducted on November 18, and the deadline for withdrawal of nominations is November 21. The list of candidates and allocation of election symbols will be published on November 26, 2025.

Pending Phases and Other Elections

While the first phase has been announced, Waghmare did not disclose the schedule for elections to 29 municipal corporations, including the high-profile Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). Similarly, the schedule for elections to 32 Zilla Parishads (district-level governing bodies) and 336 Panchayat Samitis (block-level rural bodies) has not been revealed. These details are expected to be announced in subsequent phases, ensuring a staggered and manageable electoral process across the state.

Electoral Roll and Voter Information

The cut-off date for the electoral rolls has been set as July 1, 2025. However, the State Election Commission has requested updated voter lists from the Election Commission of India (ECI) up to October 15, 2025, and has indicated that the cut-off date may be extended depending on the updated data received.

Understanding Maharashtra’s Local Governance

Maharashtra’s Panchayati Raj system is a three-tier framework of rural governance, consisting of:

• Gram Panchayat: The village-level governing body responsible for grassroots administration.
• Panchayat Samiti: The block-level body overseeing development and governance in multiple villages.
• Zilla Parishad: The district-level body responsible for planning and coordinating rural development across blocks.

Urban areas are governed differently. A Nagar Parishad (Municipal Council) administers smaller towns and cities, focusing on urban development and civic administration. A Nagar Panchayat serves transitional areas with populations typically ranging between 12,000 and 40,000, helping manage the shift from rural to urban governance structures.

Importance of Local Body Elections

These local body elections are crucial for both rural and urban governance, impacting the delivery of public services, local infrastructure development, and civic administration. In addition to electing representatives, these polls also determine presidents of municipal councils and heads of Panchayati Raj bodies, who play a significant role in shaping development priorities and governance strategies at the grassroots level.

The elections also serve as a political barometer for state and national parties, offering insights into regional trends, voter sentiment, and party strengths in both rural and urban constituencies.

Looking Ahead

With the first phase set for December 2, political parties, candidates, and voters are gearing up for an intense electoral exercise. The results from municipal councils and Nagar Panchayats in the first phase will set the tone for subsequent elections, including the much-awaited polls for major municipal corporations like the BMC.

As Maharashtra prepares for this multi-phase election process, the focus remains on ensuring transparent, fair, and efficient elections, with the Election Commission leveraging technology, planning, and administrative oversight to manage one of the largest local electoral exercises in the state.

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