The Opposition has accused election officials of bias in the scrutiny of nomination papers for the upcoming Thane Municipal Corporation elections. Candidates from Shiv Sena (UBT), Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), and independents saw their documents rejected while some Shinde Sena nominees were accepted despite discrepancies. On December 31, 2025, Rajan Vichare (Shiv Sena UBT), Avinash Jadhav (MNS), and Jitendra Awhad (NCP Sharad Pawar) criticized the returning officer from Wagle Estate, calling him a "servant of the ruling party". They demanded a criminal case against him. MNS leader Ravi More said his party and the affected candidates would start a hunger strike on January 1, 2026, for wards 16, 17, and 18. Another dispute arose in Mumbra where NCP's Sudhir Bhagat claimed that Moreshwar Kinne, an NCP(SP) candidate, previously lost a corporator post due to unauthorized construction, but his objection was dismissed despite evidence. Across other areas, Bhiwandi-Nizampur officials reviewed 1,033 nomination papers, rejecting 77, while Navi Mumbai disqualified 117 out of 956. Reasons for rejection include incomplete affidavits, missing tax or utility certificates, and caste certificate errors. Elections for 29 municipal corporations, including Thane, Bhiwandi, and Navi Mumbai, are scheduled for January 15, 2026, with counting the next day.