Mumbai BMC Elections 2026: Vishal Dadlani Criticises Low Voter Presence At Polling Booth, Says 'It's So Shameful' - VIDEO

Singer and music composer Vishal Dadlani expressed disappointment over the low voter turnout during the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections after casting his vote at a polling booth in Mumbai on Thursday morning (January 15). Speaking to the media outside the polling station, the musician said the lack of public participation was concerning and showed a troubling apathy towards democracy.

Dadlani did not mince words as he reacted to what he witnessed at the booth. “I've stopped asking people to vote. What I'm seeing here is that there's hardly any public presence. There are more officials inside; it's so shameful. Every Indian should feel pain seeing this. If we don't take care of our country, if we don't take responsibility for it, then what's happening will continue to happen...,” he said.

He expressed frustration over declining civic engagement, especially in a city as large and politically significant as Mumbai. Dadlani also stressed the broader importance of timely elections and accountability in a democratic system. “Hopefully, whoever wins will hold the elections on time. This is very important for the country, for democracy. But given the state of our city in the last few days, the hope is that things will improve,” he added.

Take a look at his full video here:

Meanwhile, early voting trends pointed to a sluggish start for the BMC elections. According to official data released by the State Election Commission (SEC), voter turnout stood at just 7.12 per cent till 9:30 am on Thursday. Of the total 1,03,44,315 registered voters, only 7,36,996 had cast their ballots by that time.

The data also revealed a gender gap in voter participation. Nearly twice as many men voted compared to women, with 4,54,539 male voters casting their ballots, against 2,82,433 women. Ward-wise figures showed that Ward No. 18 in Mumbai city recorded the highest turnout at 11.57 per cent, while Ward No. 162 saw the lowest participation at just 1.68 per cent.

Polling began at 7:30 am on Thursday, January 15, and will continue until 5:30 pm. The counting of votes is scheduled for Friday, January 16. As the day progresses, election officials and public voices alike are hoping for a surge in voter participation to strengthen the democratic process.