Ahead of the crucial Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections scheduled for 2026, active citizen groups across Mumbai are taking a proactive stance. They are preparing detailed manifestos and citizens' charters to present to aspiring candidates, outlining a clear roadmap for improved urban governance.
Key Demands: From Anti-Defacement Pledges to Public Accountability
In a pioneering move, the Chandivali Citizens Welfare Association (CCWA) has made an anti-defacement pledge the cornerstone of its 'Chandivalicha Manifesto'. The association is seeking a written undertaking from all electoral contestants, committing them to refrain from plastering the locality with illegal posters and banners. A significant demand is to stop politicians from putting their names and photographs on public amenities built with taxpayer money, encapsulated in their tagline: 'Paisa humara, naam tumhara nahi chalega' (Our money, your name won't work).
Mandeep Makkar, founder of CCWA, emphasized that public funds should be channeled towards substantive work rather than publicity. He listed core civic issues that future corporators must prioritize: pothole-free roads, traffic management, pollution control, and ensuring functional public gardens, schools, and hospitals. Makkar stressed the need for project completion once tenders are awarded.
Citizen Charters Call for Transparent Governance
Other collectives are echoing similar calls for accountability and transparency. The Mumbai North Central District Forum (MNCDF), with around 200 volunteers across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), has formulated a 30-point Citizen Charter. Their demands include mandatory monthly citizen forum meetings for elected municipal councillors, with the compulsory presence of ward officers. Unresolved grievances from these meetings should be escalated to the BMC commissioner's monthly 'sabhas' at the civic headquarters.
Trivankumar Karnani, a lawyer who manages the forum's X handle @MNCDFbombay, stated that after eight years, Mumbai needs corporators focused on civic welfare over politics. He described their charter as a non-partisan document intended to guide candidates from all political parties towards citizen-first governance.
Local Groups Amplify Grassroots Concerns
In Andheri, the Lokandwala Oshiwara Citizens Andheri (LOCA) has listed specific demands in its manifesto. These include ensuring that BMC funds allotted to a corporator are spent only after considering public opinion, putting an end to the repeated digging of roads, and initiating a strict crackdown on hawker encroachments.
Dhaval Shah from LOCA announced that their 'Know Your Candidate' series will premiere on the LOCA Instagram handle on Sunday at 1:15 PM. The first candidate featured in this series will be formally presented with the group's manifesto, setting the stage for direct engagement between voters and aspirants.
This coordinated effort by Mumbai's civil society underscores a growing demand for ethical, efficient, and transparent municipal governance as the city prepares for the 2026 civic polls.
