India, Jan. 16 -- After a four-year hiatus, marked by prolonged civic disengagement and an administrator rule, Mumbai returned to the ballot on Thursday in the high-stakes Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, held against the backdrop of a fragmented Shiv Sena, which ruled the roost for decades, confusing alliances and multi-cornered contests across wards.

Contrary to expectations of fatigue, Mumbai voters turned out in significant numbers, reaffirming the city's long-standing tendency to defy predictions of voter apathy. The final voter turnout was 52.90%, driven largely by a surge in participation from Maharashtrian and Gujarati-dominated localities in central Mumbai and the suburbs. Follow LIVE updates on BMC election r...