Reservation lottery marred by disruptions as BMC placed in open women category, instead of OBC

The Maharashtra Government’s Urban Development Department conducted the reservation lottery on Thursday (January 22, 2026), during which the mayor’s post in Mumbai, Pune, Navi Mumbai, Malegaon, Nashik, Nagpur, Dhule, Nanded and Mira-Bhayander municipal corporations was reserved for the open women category.

This means that only women corporators from the general category will be eligible to hold the mayoral office in these civic bodies for the upcoming term of 2.5 years.

The reservation lottery was marked by disruptions after the Mumbai municipal corporation was placed in the open women category instead of the OBC category.

The decision triggered strong reactions, particularly as the city’s mayoral post had already been reserved for the open women category in 2017.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders, including former mayor Kishori Pednekar, staged a walkout after the administration declined to intervene, stating that her objections would be addressed only after the lottery process was completed.

Kalyan Dombivli will have mayor from Scheduled Tribe. Thane mayoral position reserved for Scheduled Caste. Latur and Jalna mayor seat reserved for SC (woman). Jalgaon, Chandrapur, Ahilyanagar, and Akola will have mayor from OBC category reserved for women.