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BMC Clarifies Postal Ballot Protocol After Thackeray's Allegation

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has clarified that postal ballot boxes will be removed from the strong room and segregated only on the scheduled counting day, January 16. This statement corrects a mistakenly issued letter from an election officer that was later withdrawn. The clarification comes after Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray raised allegations about the handling of postal ballots and election transparency. Voting for municipal corporation elections across Maharashtra, including Mumbai, is currently underway.

Key Points: BMC Clarifies Postal Ballot Timing After Thackeray's Claim

  • BMC corrects erroneous letter on ballot boxes
  • Clarifies boxes opened only on counting day
  • Response to Uddhav Thackeray's allegations
  • Voting underway for 29 civic bodies
2 min read

Postal ballot boxes to be opened only on counting day: BMC clarifies after Uddhav Thackeray's allegation

BMC says postal ballots will be opened only on counting day, correcting a clerical error, after Uddhav Thackeray alleged irregularities.

"The letter issued on January 8 was sent inadvertently and has been corrected. - BMC"

Mumbai, January 15

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation on Thursday clarified that postal ballot boxes will be taken out of the strong room only on the day of counting, January 16, 2026, alongside Electronic Voting Machines, following allegations by former Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray.

This follows a letter in error circulated on January 8, 2026, which was later withdrawn and replaced.

In a press note issued by the BMC's Public Relations Department, the civic body said a letter sent to candidates on January 8 by the Election Decision Officer-21 (Wards 200 to 206) regarding postal ballot papers was inadvertently circulated and later withdrawn. A revised letter has since been issued, correcting the information.

"As per the revised instructions, the postal ballot boxes will not be taken out of the strong room on Thursday, January 15, 2026, at 3.00 pm," the BMC said. It added that, in line with the orders of the Maharashtra State Election Commission, the postal ballot boxes will be removed from the strong room only on Friday, January 16, the day scheduled for counting of votes, along with the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).

The civic body further clarified that ward-wise segregation of postal ballots will also be carried out on the counting day itself. Election Decision Officers have informed candidates and their duly authorised representatives to remain present at the specified time during the counting process.

The clarification comes in the backdrop of allegations raised earlier in the day by Shiv Sena (UBT) chief and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, who questioned the handling of postal ballot boxes and alleged irregularities in the election process. Thackeray claimed that postal ballot boxes were to be removed from the strong room before counting, raising concerns about transparency.

The BMC, however, maintained that the confusion arose due to a mistakenly issued letter and that the error was promptly rectified. "The letter issued on January 8 was sent inadvertently and has been corrected," the civic body said, reiterating that all procedures will strictly follow the directions of the State Election Commission.

Polling for the Maharashtra municipal corporation elections is underway across 29 civic bodies, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. Voting began at 7:30 am on Thursday and will continue until 5:30 pm. According to the State Election Commission, voter turnout stood at 29.22 per cent till 1:30 pm.

The results of the civic body elections are scheduled to be declared on Friday, January 16, after the completion of the counting process.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Mistakes happen, but in elections, there is zero tolerance for error. Sending a wrong letter about something as critical as ballot boxes is a serious lapse. The BMC needs to audit its communication processes. 🤔
V
Vikram M
Uddhav ji is right to raise questions. In our democracy, vigilance is key. However, since the error was corrected, we should now trust the system and the State Election Commission to oversee a fair count. Jai Maharashtra!
A
Aman W
The low voter turnout till 1:30 PM is more worrying than this letter issue. Come on Mumbai, please go out and vote! That's the real way to ensure your voice is heard. 🗳️
S
Sarah B
As an observer, it's reassuring to see a prompt clarification. The protocol of opening boxes only on counting day alongside EVMs seems sound. The focus should remain on the high-stakes counting process tomorrow.
K
Karthik V
This is why we need complete digitization and blockchain-based voting. Human errors in letters, manual handling of boxes... it's 2026! Time to upgrade our election tech for full transparency.

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