Mumbai, Jan 15: The voting process for the Mumbai Municipal Corporation (MMC) Elections 2026 witnessed widespread confusion, tension and allegations of administrative lapses across Bhandup, Vikhroli and Mulund
areas, as several voters complained that their names were missing from the electoral rolls.
Protests in Bhandup
In Bhandup Assembly Ward 109, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Ajit Pawar faction women’s leader Manisha Tupe exposed what she termed the “gross mismanagement” of the Election Commission.
Following her protest at a polling station, a tense situation prevailed in the area. Tupe alleged that nearly 40 to 50 voters were forced to return home after failing to find their names on the voter list despite being eligible voters.
A shocking case came to light when Minaj Mulani, a woman voter from Bhandup who regularly votes at the Omega School polling booth in Khindipada, Bhandup West, discovered that her name had been shifted to Mulund Ward No. 105 when checked through the scanner. She had voted at the same booth during the previous Assembly elections.
Clashes outside polling booths
Tensions also flared outside polling booths in Gavand Compound, Bhandup, where workers of the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) and Shiv Sena (UBT faction) clashed following allegations of voter intimidation by an MLA.
Similar chaos was reported outside the Adarsh polling centre in Bhandup. However, the police, deployed for election security, intervened and brought the situation under control.
Leaders cast votes
Senior Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and North-East Mumbai MP Sanjay Dina Patil exercised his right to vote with his family at a school near Bhandup railway station. His daughter Rajul Patil is contesting from Ward No. 114.
Meanwhile, MP Sanjay Raut and his brother, MLA Sunil Raut, voted with their family members in Bhandup East. The Thackeray faction faces the challenge of retaining its dominance in the region.
Mulund voters face inconvenience
In Mulund, voters faced major inconvenience due to discrepancies between the polling centres mentioned on the Voter App and the actual polling locations. Confusion prevailed even among polling staff.
Voters from Ward No. 104 were directed to the Deendayal Upadhyay Marg polling centre as per the app, but were later redirected to the Ambedkar Garden polling centre.
At the Ghatipata booth in Vaishali Nagar, Mulund West, workers of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) created a ruckus after alleging that the indelible ink applied on voters’ fingers was easily fading. This led to a brief tense situation. Mulund, considered a BJP stronghold, remains crucial for the party to retain its influence.
Tension in Vikhroli
In Vikhroli’s Kannamwar Nagar 2, clashes erupted on the night of January 14 over alleged distribution of money. Workers of the Shiv Sena (UBT) accused candidates from the Shinde faction of distributing cash. The police increased security in the area, and voting began under tight police bandobast on Thursday morning.
Another serious allegation emerged from Vikhroli East, Ward No. 119, where Abdul Rahman Sheikh and four members of his family could not find their names on the voter list at the Shri Siddhi Vinayagar English High School polling station.
Polling officials allegedly told them that the voter list pages had ended. Social activist Waris Sheikh demanded an explanation from the Election Commission.
In a separate incident at the same school, Rajesh Lalji Shukla, a resident of Tagore Nagar No. 4, was informed that his vote had already been cast. Independent candidate Chandrika Pandey questioned polling officials, who advised Shukla to vote via ballot paper. Shukla has alleged bogus voting in his name.
Positive moments amid chaos
Amid these issues, some positive moments were also witnessed. In Kokan Nagar, Bhandup West, visually impaired voter Shekhar Tavde exercised his right to vote and thanked the Election Commission for the facilities provided, urging citizens to participate in the democratic process.
Similarly, at a polling centre near Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Garden in Mulund, differently-abled voter Manjukumari Ramshankar Vishwakarma cast her vote enthusiastically and appealed to others to vote.
T-shirt controversy
Meanwhile, controversy erupted after some voters arrived at polling stations wearing T-shirts displaying Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s Rajmudra (royal seal) and slogans such as “Mi Marathi” and “Marathi Manus Jaga Ho…”. Attempts were allegedly made to pressure police and election officials to ban these T-shirts.
However, since the apparel did not feature any party symbol, candidate name or campaign material, several citizens and observers viewed opposition to the T-shirts as an indirect infringement on freedom of expression and democratic values.
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Polling under scrutiny
Overall, the polling process in Mumbai’s eastern suburbs remained under scrutiny as administrative lapses, political clashes and voter grievances raised serious questions about election preparedness and transparency.
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