BMC polls: Change in counting process may delay results on January 16

Mumbai: Phase-wise counting of votes in Mumbai, instead of simultaneously across all 227 electoral wards as done in 2017, could delay the declaration of results when the enumeration process begins on Friday morning, civic officials said on Thursday.

In a release, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said counting of votes polled in the elections on Thursday will begin at 10 am across 23 centres in the metropolis.

As in past elections, the counting of all wards will not start simultaneously - instead, votes from two wards will be counted at a time. This means counting for only 46 wards will begin at 10 am, instead of all 227 wards at once.

According to the officials, due to this changed counting process, no trends will be available for all 227 seats as soon as the process begins, unlike in the past.

There is a possibility that the results for all seats may be declared very late, they said.

At a press conference held at the civic headquarters last week, BMC officials said that counting votes from just two wards at a time would speed up the process, as all available human resources would focus on those two wards.

On Thursday, while speaking to media persons, Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani acknowledged that there could be a delay in announcing the final results of all seats and that the vote-counting process may be delayed by about an hour.

"It may take an hour longer than usual," Gagrani said.

Gagrani also reviewed counting arrangements and said adequate security, traffic management and law-and-order measures have been put in place, according to the release.

As per the release, a total of 2,299 officials and staff have been deployed for the counting exercise, including 759 supervisors, 770 assistants and 770 Class IV employees. All personnel have been provided prior training to ensure the smooth conduct of the process.

The results will be compiled using a computerised system to ensure accuracy and transparency, the civic body said. CCTV surveillance, fire safety and medical facilities have also been arranged at all counting centres.

According to the release, strong rooms and designated counting venues have been identified under the jurisdiction of each of the 23 Returning Officers for all 227 wards, with necessary clearances obtained from the Public Works Department and the police.

It further said that traffic regulation, parking arrangements and separate enclosures for media personnel have been created at the counting venues.

The civic body said that only authorised candidates, their representatives and media persons with valid identity cards issued by the election department will be allowed entry into counting centres.

There were 1,700 candidates in the fray for 227 seats in Mumbai. The elections were held to constitute a new body which will govern India's richest municipal corporation, whose budget for 2025-26 stood at Rs 74,400 crore.

The previous BMC polls were held in 2017, while the term of the elected body ended in March 2022.