Mumbai Set for Woman Mayor from General Category After Lottery Draw

Mumbai will have its next mayor from the general category and specifically a woman, decided through a lottery held by the Maharashtra Urban Development Department on January 22, 2026. The draw fixed the reservation category as “general-women,” allowing eligible female corporators from the open category to contest for the prestigious post once nominations begin in the newly elected Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) house.

The announcement immediately drew sharp criticism from Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and former mayor Kishori Pednekar. She accused the authorities of altering the lottery rules without any advance notice or consultation. Pednekar argued that the last two mayors belonged to the general category, so rotation principles should have reserved this term for Other Backward Classes (OBC) or Scheduled Tribe (ST) candidates. “We condemn the manner in which the lottery was conducted,” she stated, signaling potential protest or challenge.

Maharashtra uses a lottery mechanism to randomly assign reservation categories—general, women, SC, ST, or OBC—for the mayor’s position in civic bodies. After the category is finalized, political parties nominate candidates from among elected corporators, followed by an intra-house election for mayor and deputy mayor.

Also Read: Shiv Sena (UBT) Supporters Eye Mumbai Mayor Post Despite Poll Setback

The BMC elections, along with polls for 28 other municipal corporations in the state, were held on January 15, 2026. This marked a significant civic poll cycle following recent delimitation exercises. The new BMC house, Asia’s richest civic body with massive annual budgets, is expected to convene shortly to elect its leadership.

The controversy unfolds against the backdrop of intense political competition in Maharashtra, where Shiv Sena factions, BJP, Congress, and others vie for control of key urban local bodies.

Also Read: Mumbai’s New Mayor: Timeline and Process Explained