Mumbai Civic Polls Ahead: Only 2 ‘A-Grade’ Corporators in Last BMC House, Majority Failed to Deliver

Mumbai | December 16, 2025 | Undercover Editor News Channel

As Mumbai prepares for crucial civic elections, a damning performance report on the outgoing Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has raised serious concerns about the quality of local governance in India’s financial capital. A study released by the Praja Foundation reveals that the vast majority of corporators in the final year of the 2017–2021 BMC House underperformed—despite the unprecedented challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Out of 220 corporators evaluated, only two earned an ‘A’ grade, while nearly 90 percent scored below average, highlighting a worrying gap between public expectations and actual performance.

Performance Grades Paint a Grim Picture

The Praja Foundation assessed corporators on a 100-point scale, focusing on attendance, participation, and civic engagement:

• A Grade (80–100 marks): 2 corporators
• B Grade (70–80 marks): 20 corporators
• C to F Grades (below 70 marks): 198 corporators

Of the total 227 corporators, seven were excluded from evaluation due to mayoral responsibilities or incomplete tenures.

Falling Attendance and Weak Participation

The report highlights a steady decline in civic participation even before the pandemic struck:

• Committee meeting attendance dropped from 82.15% in 2017–18 to 73.70% in 2019–20
• The number of civic questions raised by corporators declined year after year
• Engagement remained low during Covid-19, despite the availability of digital platforms

These findings point to a deeper structural problem rather than a temporary disruption caused by the pandemic.

Systemic Failures Within the BMC

Beyond individual performance, the report flags persistent institutional shortcomings:

• Underperformance across most wards
• Lack of robust monitoring mechanisms for corporator accountability
• Poor documentation and public disclosure of ward-level outcomes
• Inefficiencies despite BMC’s massive annual budget
• Limited decentralised decision-making at the ward level

What This Means for Mumbai’s Voters

With civic elections around the corner, the findings provide voters with rare, data-driven insight into how their representatives performed in office. The report strengthens the case for demanding:

• Transparent performance metrics
• Mandatory disclosure of attendance and participation records
• Public dashboards tracking ward-level work and spending

A citizen activist summed it up bluntly:

“The report makes it clear that Mumbai needs representatives who can show measurable accountability, not just political presence.”

Election Context

The Maharashtra State Election Commission has announced that polling for 29 municipal corporations, including the BMC, will be held on January 15, 2026, with counting scheduled for January 16, 2026. The nomination process will run from December 23 to December 30.

A Moment of Reckoning

As India’s richest civic body heads into elections, the Praja Foundation report serves as a wake-up call. The upcoming polls are not just about political control, but about redefining civic leadership, accountability, and performance in a city that demands—and deserves—better governance.