BMC Vote Counting Adopts Phased Approach for January 16
Mumbai prepares for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections this Thursday. Officials confirm a significant shift in the vote-counting procedure. Unlike previous elections, the counting will not happen all at once. Instead, it will proceed in a phased manner across 23 different locations throughout the city and its suburbs on Friday, January 16.
New Counting Process Explained
Authorities detail the new system. Each returning officer in Mumbai oversees a minimum of 10 constituencies. At any given time, counting will occur for two constituencies under a single RO's jurisdiction. Once completed, officials will move to the next set of constituencies.
"With more than 20 returning officers for Mumbai, counting two constituencies at a time will cover all 227 wards," an officer stated.
The officer explained the reasoning on Wednesday. "These are local body polls with a higher number of seats. An Assembly election has 36 seats, but the civic body has 227. A phased approach allows us to manage the process smoothly with our available human resources."
Increased Deployment and Past Practices
This year sees a substantial increase in personnel. Authorities have deployed 64,000 civic workers for vote counting. This marks a 30.6 percent rise from the 2017 BMC polls.
The 2017 civic elections used simultaneous counting across all centers. The 2024 Assembly elections also followed this simultaneous method. The shift to a phased process represents a clear departure from recent history.
Political Criticism Emerges
The change has drawn immediate criticism from political figures. Congress MLA Aslam Shaikh voiced strong opposition. "What is the point of changing the system suddenly?" Shaikh questioned. "These kinds of activities may disrupt the flow of trends."
Shaikh's son, Haider, is contesting the polls for the first time from ward number 34.
Shiv Sena UBT leader and former Mayor, Vishakha Raut, also questioned the move. "The simultaneous method of counting is much more transparent in nature," Raut stated.
Election Timeline and Logistics
Mumbai witnesses local body polls after nearly nine years on Thursday, January 15. Following polling, Electronic Voting Machines will be transported to two strongrooms located in Vikhroli and Kandivali. On Friday, these EVMs will be moved to the 23 designated counting stations to begin the phased tally.
The new counting strategy aims for logistical efficiency but faces scrutiny over its potential impact on transparency and the announcement of results.
