The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has mobilized a significant workforce for the crucial vote counting process following Thursday's civic elections. On Friday, the BMC will deploy 2,299 officials across 23 designated counting centers throughout Mumbai.
Massive Deployment of Personnel
Civic authorities confirmed the deployment details on Thursday. The counting team comprises 770 Class IV employees, 759 supervisors, and 770 assistants. All personnel received specific training for vote counting procedures before beginning their duties.
"We have prepared thoroughly for this important democratic exercise," stated civic officials. "Every counting official understands their role in ensuring accurate results."
Secure Transportation of EVMs
After voting concluded on Thursday, election officials moved all Electronic Voting Machines to secure locations. The EVMs were transported to two strong rooms in Vikhroli and Kandivali for overnight safekeeping.
Early Friday morning, these machines will travel to the 23 counting centers across Mumbai. Police protection will secure all transportation routes and counting facilities.
Phased Counting Approach
This year's counting process introduces a significant change from previous elections. Unlike the 2017 civic polls where counting occurred simultaneously across all centers, the 2026 process will proceed in batches.
"We will count votes from two constituencies at a time," explained an election officer. "This phased approach allows us to manage our resources effectively while maintaining accuracy."
Transparency Measures
The BMC has established dedicated counting rooms at all 23 centers. Officials emphasized that results will display on computer systems to ensure complete transparency throughout the process.
"Voters deserve to see their democratic choice reflected accurately," officials noted. "Our systems guarantee that every vote counts properly."
Increased Workforce Compared to 2017
Civic authorities revealed that nearly 64,000 workers participate in this year's counting process. This represents a substantial 30.6 percent increase compared to the 2017 civic elections.
The expanded workforce addresses the complexity of counting votes across 227 constituency wards. Each returning officer in Mumbai handles at least 10 constituencies under this system.
Managing Large-Scale Operations
"Local body elections involve more seats than assembly elections," an officer clarified on Wednesday. "While assembly elections have 36 seats, civic polls cover 227 wards. Our phased counting method ensures smooth operations with available human resources."
With more than 20 returning officers coordinating the process, the system will count votes from two constituencies simultaneously until covering all 227 wards. This method has drawn some criticism from political parties accustomed to simultaneous counting.
The BMC remains confident in their approach. "We have planned every detail carefully," officials concluded. "Friday's counting will proceed systematically across Mumbai and its suburbs."
