A holiday in Mumbai has been officially declared on 15 January to facilitate voting within the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) limits.
Public Holiday in Mumbai Declared on 15 January for Voting
The much-awaited Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections are scheduled to be held on 15 January .To ensure that every eligible voter is able to exercise their right to vote, the General Administration Department of the Maharashtra Government and departments such as Industries, Energy, Mines and Labour have issued official government orders. Under these orders, a holiday in Mumbai has been declared on polling day, and special vigilance squads have also been formed to ensure effective implementation.
This holiday in Mumbai will be mandatory for them.
For this holiday in Mumbai ,the Industries and Labour Department has issued separate notifications. All establishments under this department including shops, factories, private companies, hotels, lodging houses, restaurants, industrial units, theatres, commercial establishments, IT companies, shopping malls, retailers, and other business establishments will be mandatorily required to remain closed or grant leave on this day. Special efforts will be made to ensure strict enforcement of this holiday in Mumbai across Mumbai City, Eastern Suburbs, and Western Suburbs under the BMC jurisdiction.It has also been clearly stated in the General Administration Department’s order that even voters who are outside the municipal area due to work-related reasons will be entitled to this holiday in Mumbai so they can exercise their voting rights.
All Central and State Government offices, semi-government offices, banks, and public sector undertakings falling under the BMC limits will also observe a holiday in Mumbai on 15 January.In exceptional situations where complete closure may lead to significant losses, concerned officers, employees, and workers will be granted a special voting leave of two to three hours to ensure they can vote.
If any establishment within the Mumbai municipal limits fails to grant a holiday or voting concession on this day, they will face strict legal action.For this purpose, special vigilance teams have been appointed. The government is making consistent efforts to ensure maximum participation in this democratic festival so that no citizen is deprived of their right to vote. An appeal has also been made by BMC Commissioner and District Election Officer Bhushan Gagrani ,urging citizens to actively participate in the democratic process.
This BMC election will be the first municipal election after the Shiv Sena split making it politically significant. Additionally, the alliance between Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray has changed the political landscape of Mumbai.The main contest is expected to be between the Thackeray brothers’ alliance BJP–Shinde group, and Congress–Vanchit alliance.Due to seat-sharing issues, several disgruntled party workers have filed nomination papers as rebels in many wards, posing a serious challenge to major political parties.
Uddhav Thackeray has intensified grassroots campaigning by visiting local party branches and initiating micro-level outreach, while Raj Thackeray is also actively touring various party offices. The BJP is campaigning aggressively across the city. As a result, the election scheduled on 15 January,along with the declared holiday in Mumbai, is expected to be highly competitive and politically charged.
All political parties are well aware of the importance of controlling the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation , which is considered Asia’s largest and financially strongest municipal body.With 257 wards, the BMC holds immense political and administrative significance. This is why every party is contesting the election with full strength to secure the mayor’s post.In view of the importance of this election and the declared holiday in Mumbai ,citizens from all sections of society are being urged to exercise their democratic right to vote and actively participate in shaping the future of the city.
