In a landmark moment for the Malegaon Municipal Corporation, two women have been elected for the positions of Mayor and Deputy Mayor for the first time. Nasreen Khalid from the Indian Secular Largest Assembly of Maharashtra (ISLAM) party has taken on the role of Mayor, while Nihal Ahmed, a woman councilor from the Samajwadi Party (SP), has been elected as Deputy Mayor. The voting took place on February 7, 2026, with both candidates receiving 43 votes each. This election represents a significant shift in the local governance landscape of Malegaon.

The backdrop to this election was the municipal election held on January 15, where no single party gained a clear majority. The ISLAM party won 35 seats, followed by AIMIM with 21 seats, Shiv Sena with 18, SP with 5, Congress with 3, and BJP with 2 seats. In response to the deadlock, the ISLAM party and the SP formed an alliance known as the 'Malegaon Secular Front.' The support from three Congress councilors helped strengthen this coalition, allowing them to achieve a significant voting bloc of 43, thus facilitating the election of the female candidates to the top posts.

This electoral outcome is seen as a considerable victory for the ISLAM party, particularly founded by former Congress MLA Asif Sheikh Rashid, as it secures the Mayor's seat for the first time. This represents not just a political milestone for the party but also advances the representation of women in local governance in Malegaon, underlining a growing trend towards gender inclusion in Indian local politics.