Mumbai, November 11, 2025 – The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) today conducted the ward reservation lottery for the upcoming civic elections, setting the stage for a dramatic reshuffling of political fiefdoms. The lottery, a crucial step in the election process, determines which wards will be reserved for women, Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC), effectively altering the political landscape and forcing many established figures to seek new constituencies.
The lottery draw, held at Bal Gandharva Rangmandir in Bandra, was conducted in the presence of BMC Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, senior civic officials, and a multitude of political workers eager to learn their electoral fate. In a bid to ensure transparency, students from government schools were invited to draw the lots.
This year, 114 of the 227 wards have been reserved for women candidates, a move aimed at promoting gender balance in local governance. The remaining seats are divided among different categories, with 15 wards reserved for SC candidates (8 for women), 2 for ST candidates (1 for women), and 61 for OBC candidates (31 for women). The remaining 149 wards are for the General Category, including 74 women candidates.
Several prominent political figures have found their traditional strongholds now reserved for other categories, compelling them to strategize alternative routes for the upcoming elections. Among those impacted are key politicians across different parties. Some of the senior corporators who have lost their traditional wards due to the new reservations include former Leader of Opposition Ravi Raja (Ward 176), Neil Somaiya (Ward 108), Tejasvee Ghosalkar (Ward 1), and Harshita Narwekar (Ward 226).
The redrawing of ward boundaries and the reservation lottery are considered the two most critical pre-election steps, significantly influencing the strategies and campaigns of political parties. The BMC had finalized the ward boundaries on October 6, after incorporating revisions based on public feedback.
Following the announcement of the lottery results, the BMC will publish a draft list of reserved seats on November 14. Citizens can submit their objections and suggestions regarding the ward reservations from November 14 to November 20. The BMC commissioner will then review these submissions between November 21 and 27 before making a final decision. The final list of ward reservations will be published in the Government Gazette on December 2, 2025.
The simultaneous ward reservation lotteries conducted across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), including Thane, Navi Mumbai, Kalyan-Dombivali, and Mira-Bhayandar, signal the imminent announcement of the long-awaited civic elections. The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) held its lottery under the supervision of Municipal Commissioner Dr. Kailash Shinde, marking the first general election under the new four-member ward system.
With the reservation lottery now complete, political parties are expected to ramp up their preparations for the BMC elections, anticipated to be held in early 2026. The altered landscape necessitates a strategic rethink for many aspirants, as they navigate the new dynamics of ward reservations and redrawn boundaries.
