'Vote Chori Is An Anti-National Act': Rahul Gandhi Targets EC Amid Indelible Ink Concerns During BMC Elections 2026

Amid the ongoing counting of votes for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday alleged that public trust in the electoral process is steadily eroding.

Concerns Raised Over Indelible Ink

Gandhi shared an article from the Mumbai Mirror highlighting voter concerns over indelible ink reportedly fading after polling. Taking to X, the Congress leader accused authorities of downplaying the issue.

“Election Commission gaslighting citizens is how trust has collapsed in our democracy. Vote chori is an anti-national act,” Gandhi said in his post.

High-Stakes Civic Polls in Mumbai

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, which oversees Mumbai’s infrastructure and urban planning, conducted elections on January 15, 2026, with results scheduled to be declared on January 16. More than one crore voters were eligible to elect corporators across 227 wards, making it one of the largest civic elections in the country.

2017 Results Set the Context

In the 2017 BMC elections, the Shiv Sena emerged as the largest party with 84 seats, closely followed by the BJP with 82 seats. The Congress secured 31 seats, while the NCP won nine. The MNS bagged seven seats, the Samajwadi Party six, Independents five, AIMIM two, and the Akhil Bharatiya Sena one seat.

Counting Begins Amid Allegations

Counting of votes began at 10 am on Friday, with the outcome set to determine control of India’s richest civic body. The process is unfolding amid allegations of cash-for-votes, concerns over erasable indelible ink, and discrepancies in voter lists, adding to the political tension surrounding the results.

Check For Live Results Of BMC Elections Results, Updates 2026