BMC seeks extension till March 4 to present budget

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has written to the state government demanding an extension to the time period for holding the annual civic budget.

“We have written to the state government, asking them to allow us for an extension in announcing the budget. We have demanded an extension period till March 4, 2026,” municipal commissioner and state appointed administrator, Bhushan Gagrani, told The Indian Express.

The state government’s rule and the Mumbai Municipal Corporation (MMC) Act mandates holding of elections by February 4 every year. Usually the budget is presented by the commissioner and is handed over to the standing committee chairperson and the Mayor.

While the body of elected representatives has been elected in the recently concluded civic elections, the mayoral candidate is yet to be selected. The mayor is selected following a lottery process carried out by the Urban Development Department (UDD) of the state government that will decide on reservation.

Candidates are then nominated by political parties, following which the mayor is chosen finally, following a voting process in the hall.

The mayor will nominate chairpersons for the statutory committees in the BMC, including the civic standing committee, which is responsible for all the financial affairs in the BMC.

“Since the budget will be handed over to the mayor as well as the standing chairperson, it can be presented only after these committees are inducted and the chairpersons selected,” said another official.

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