Shia Community Demands Representation in Mumbai Municipal Corporation; Warns Secular Parties of NOTA Campaign if Ignored
- MimTimes मिम टाइम्स م ٹائمز
- 13 minutes ago
- 2 min read
16 November 2025
Mumbai (MimTimes)
Ahead of the upcoming Mumbai Municipal Corporation elections, a crucial meeting was held to address the long-standing issue of political representation for the Shia community. Speaking after the meeting, Arif Abbas Sayyed, General Secretary of the Mumbai Youth Congress and President of the Govandi Shia Youth Brigade, expressed concern that despite nearly 2 million (20 lakh) Shia Muslims living across Mumbai and its suburbs, not a single secular political party has ever granted representation to the community since the establishment of the Municipal Corporation of Mumbai.
According to Sayyed, Govandi, Mankhurd, and Shivaji Nagar Assembly constituencies are significant hubs of the Shia population, with 10,000 to 15,000 Shia residents in various wards. In particular, Ward No. 139 (Lotus Colony) houses nearly 20,000 to 25,000 Shia Muslims, making it one of the community’s strongest demographic pockets.
Sayyed firmly stated that in the forthcoming municipal elections, a competent Shia candidate must be given a party ticket from Ward 139. “This decision will not only impact Ward 139 but will influence the entire Mankhurd–Shivaji Nagar Assembly constituency,” he said.
Expressing strong dissatisfaction, he pointed out that in the entire history of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation, no Shia Muslim has ever been given a ticket, terming it a clear injustice and discriminatory approach towards the community. He warned that if secular parties fail to provide representation this time as well, the Shia community will boycott the elections entirely and cast their votes for NOTA on polling day.
Alongside political representation, the community also reiterated its long-pending demand for the allocation of land for a Karbala, essential for performing Muharram rituals and other religious practices in an organized manner. Sayyed added that whichever political party fulfills this legitimate demand will receive the full support and united votes of the Shia community in the upcoming municipal elections.