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Mumbai: Relief for small housing societies

More than 50,000 housing societies in Mumbai, and the rest of Maharashtra, with fewer than 50 members, will now be allowed to have their managing committee elected, without needing to fill the mandated reserved category posts. The State Housing Department revised its earlier circular dated January 3, 2024, wherein they had initially brought down the minimum number of committee members from 11 to 5, and had only kept one seat for candidates from the open category and the remaining four seats were reserved (SC/ST, OBC, VJNT and woman candidate).  After the mid-day’s report and housing activists including the state housing federation, expressing their anguish, the housing department was forced to issue a new circular on February 28, wherein they removed all reserved seats, other than two seats reserved for women (irrespective of caste/creed/religion) and five members from the general category for all societies, across MMR and the state. Advocate Shreeprasad Parab “Small societies, which were struggling to have their managing committee appointed due to the non-availability of reserved category members, were handled by the administrator, and flat owners were at their mercy. This will bring an end to such a practice,” said a housing federation official. Much-needed relief Thanking mid-day for raising the concern of the common man, State Housing Federation, Expert Director, Advocate Shreeprasad Parab said, “The latest circular brings in the much-needed relief to societies with less than 50 members. At present Maharashtra has 1.25 lakh registered housing societies of which Mumbai and MMR has around 65 per cent to 70 per cent of the societies registered (fewer than 250 and more than 250 members).” No reserved category for less than 50 members housing society  According to the February 28 government resolution, housing societies with fewer than 50 members no longer need reserved category seats. Now, there are 7 seats needed: 2 reserved for women and 5 for the general category. If no women contest, only 5 seats will be filled. A minimum of 3 members is required for meetings. Administrator  Older societies often struggle to form a full managing committee, leading to the appointment of an external administrator. Without this new circular, administrators could misuse their power, making decisions without transparency and fairness, and residents would have no say in important matters like repairs or redevelopment.  Can elect its own MC “The latest circular is not less than a revolutionary directive for cooperative housing societies with less than 50 members, as most of these societies will be able to decide for themselves,” advocate Parab said. Welcome move CA Ramesh Prabhu from MahaSEWA welcomed the change, saying, “This is a welcome move, as per the MCS Act 1960, even with five members instead of mandatory 11 members, a cooperative housing society can be registered.   In a cooperative housing society, it is difficult to get candidates under the reserved category, even if such candidates are available, they may or may not contest the election, and thereby the post would remain vacant and there was no provision under the law to fill such reserved vacancy, with other general category members. As per the act, minimum 2/3rd members need to be elected to constitute the committee and as these post remains vacant, in a smaller society with less than 50 members, the Cooperative Societies Registrar is compelled to appoint an Administrator, who would man the society for rest of the period, thereby derailing the very foundation of cooperative moment, as the existing members had no say in the decisions of the administrator and most of the time such decision were arbitrary.” Widen circular  Prabhu noted, “The new circular allows for a committee with just three members. It should apply to larger socities too, up to 250 members. Reserved category members could still join as additional members if they wish to contest elections.” The state federation raised two issues . Constitution of Committee: According to Section 154B-19(2) of the MCS Act, 1960, the committee is formed when more than two-thirds of its members have been elected. If two-thirds is a fraction, it’s rounded up. . Reserved Seats: Section 154B-22 of the MCS Act 1960 states that until reserved category members are elected, those seats won’t count for the committee’s strength or the quorum for meetings. . Advocate Parab concluded that if reserved seats are unavailable or not filled, the committee will be formed with more than two-thirds of the general category seats, as per Bye-Law No. 114.

19 March,2024 07:18 AM IST | Mumbai | Vinod Kumar Menon
The staffer is absconding and has switched off his phone

Mumbai: Sun City Cinema staffer escapes after stealing Rs 11K

The Vile Parle police have booked a Sun City Cinema employee who stole money from the theatre’s counter and escaped. The cinema staff approached the Vile Parle police and registered an FIR. The accused, Mithilesh Tripathi, worked at the food counter at Sun City Mukta A2 Cinema in Vile Parle East. Cops said the accused is absconding and switched off his mobile phone after the incident took place. The complainant is Vikas Ghawade, the manager of Sun City Cinema. According to the police, the incident occurred at the cinema where around 45 employees work. Tripathi was working on the fourth floor selling samosas, popcorn and cold drinks. A police officer said, “Every night around 11.45 pm, all workers submit the money collected from sales to the manager with all payment details. On March 16, Tripathi joined work at 12 pm, and late evening, escaped with the money.” “When Ghawade checked the daily sales payment, he found R11,000 missing. He asked the staff about it and found Tripathi had left work early. The manager called Tripathi, and he told him that he needed the money urgently. However, the manager told him to return the money, but he didn’t return,” a police officer said. Meanwhile, Tripathi was also captured stealing in CCTV cameras of the cinema hall. mid-day contacted Ghawade for a comment, but he refused to make one. 

19 March,2024 07:15 AM IST | Mumbai | Shirish Vaktania
The iconic Wilson College Gymkhana

Mumbai: Jain body takes over Wilson College Gymkhana

The state government has allocated more than one lakh square feet of land to the Jain International Organisation (JIO) on a 30-year lease. This land is for a Jain Gymkhana on Marine Drive, next to the Hindu Gymkhana. This plot currently houses Wilson College Gymkhana. The JIO organisation refused to comment for confirmation with a customer executive from the office stating, “Nobody has information right now. Send an email to the address on our website and we will revert.” Sources said, “The plot will be given on a 30-year lease to the Jain International Organisation which has approximately 33 lakh members.” The Wilson College Gymkhana established in 1832 stands on this plot. It has been with the Wilson management for over 100 years. Sources said, “The lease seems to have expired and it looks like the  mismanagement of the Gymkhana has led to the lease not being renewed in favour of the college.” Wilson College principal Prof. Anna Pratima Nikalje did not respond to calls or messages seeking comment on the news. This is a very significant development in the south Mumbai clubs and gymkhana space, with prime clubs, like the Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC) and the Willingdon Club, Tardeo hitting the headlines now.  Marine Drive is a premier, high-visibility spot, and the gymkhanas on the stretch, beginning from Catholic Gymkhana, Police Gymkhana, Wilson Gymkhana, Hindu Gymkhana, Islam Gymkhana and Parsi Gymkhana are the city’s most identifiable and well-known clubs with much-coveted membership and aspirational value. Several of these gymkhanas have years of history and are part of the social and sporting fabric of this city. Adv. Cyril S Dara, secretary, Christian Reform United People Association (CRUPA), working towards protecting Church properties, said, “Wilson College had commercialised this property. One would hardly see any sports activities conducted there and instead, the gymkhana plot was used largely for commercial purposes like weddings etc. This is perhaps why the lease was not renewed. Here, we have an example of how persons within the community itself have misused the plot, resulting in non-renewal of the lease and this landmark, historic sporting jewel of a gymkhana slipping from their hands.” It is learnt that BJP leader Mangal Prabhat Lodha spearheaded the Jain effort. Lodha though denied the ‘spearhead’ role. He simply said, “I will only say that it has gone to the right organisation and they will conduct many social activities that will benefit Mumbai.” The Wilson College Gymkhana’s stunning, heritage building witnessed a fire in 2015. The fire had gutted the roof and top floor of the building. Several cricket pitches on the ground were also damaged then. At that time, former college principal Vishwas Sirwaiya had stated, “The gymkhana is a part of the Wilsonian legacy and will always be.”  1832Year Wilson College Gymkhana was established

19 March,2024 07:13 AM IST | Mumbai | Hemal Ashar
MNS chief Raj Thackeray. Pic/X

Raj Thackeray’s political pivot: MNS-BJP alliance on cards

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) is most likely to join hands with the BJP-led pre-poll alliance for the Lok Sabha elections. Raj Thackeray left for New Delhi on Monday evening, purportedly to meet the BJP high command. In the national capital, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and state BJP President Chandrashekhar Bawankule had reached the party headquarters for a meeting with the core committee of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the party's national president JP Nadda.  Sources said Thackeray had visited Delhi earlier, too. In Mumbai, the MNS chief was visited recently by senior BJP leaders. MNS could be given a couple of seats to contest, including Mumbai South. MNS leader Avinash Jadhav told a news channel that in addition to Mumbai, Pune, Nashik and Thane would also be discussed. In sixteen years of its existence, the MNS performed well only once in the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls. Riding on a Marathi plank, it ate into the vote share of the undivided Shiv Sena in 2009 but did not win a single seat. However, it sent 13 MLAs to the Assembly the same year. But, the following elections saw the MNS fail miserably. It has only one MLA in the current House. In the 2019 elections, Raj had targeted PM Modi and Amit Shah through a 'fact-check' campaign. BJP had devised a counter-campaign to check Raj who had no official candidate in the Lok Sabha fray and yet chose to hold independent rallies across the state. However, the campaign did not have any impact as the BJP-Sena alliance ended up winning 42 out of 48 seats. If finalised, it will be the first-ever pre-poll alliance for the MNS that will come in handy to neutralise the Thackeray factor in the MVA. Recently, Raj took up the Hindutva agenda, in addition to his favourite sons of the soil issue. He has projected MNS as an alternative to cousin Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena that has gelled with the secular forces and is consistently accused of dropping the party founder Bal Thackeray's ideology. While his party spokesperson Sanjay Shirsat welcomed Raj's visit to Delhi. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde lambasted Uddhav over the I.N.D.I.A bloc’s meeting at Shivaji Park on Sunday. “Uddhav Thackeray should apologise to Balasaheb Thackeray. He sat with those who spoke against the Hindutva ideology. The meeting was held in front of Veer Savarkar’s memorial and Balasaheb Thackeray's memorial. Those who used foul language against Veer Savarkar and made unfounded allegations against him had gathered at Shivaji Park. This is unfortunate,” Shinde added. 1No. of MLAs MNS has

19 March,2024 07:13 AM IST | Mumbai | Dharmendra Jore
The accused, who were nabbed near Pepsi Ground on Monday morning

Mumbai: Four contract killers arrested from Gorai

The Mumbai Crime Branch Unit 11 has apprehended four suspects who are believed to have murdered a 53-year-old state transport bus conductor in Nandurbar district. The accused, two of whom are minors, had been hiding in Gorai for the past few days. According to sources, the suspects are accused of kidnapping and killing Rajendra Uttamrao Marathe in an area under the jurisdiction of the Shahada police station. The body, which was discovered on March 16, had been burned with petrol. Upon discovery and identification of the deceased’s body, the Shahada police and crime branch initiated an investigation. Rajendra Marathe, the deceased   After identifying the accused and their location, they alerted the Mumbai Crime Branch under the direction of the senior officers of the Mumbai Crime Branch and with the supervision of Senior Inspector Vinayak Chauhan Unit 11, Police Inspector Bharat Ghone, along with his team traced and apprehended the suspects from Gorai on Monday afternoon, said an officer. “During interrogation, it was revealed that Marathe’s son-in-law allegedly orchestrated the murder by offering a contract worth Rs 3 lakh to the four individuals. Following the murder, the accused attempted to dispose of the body by dousing it with petrol and setting it alight. The relationship between the deceased’s daughter and her husband was strained, leading her to leave her husband’s house and reside with her father. The son-in-law harboured feelings of resentment, perceiving his father-in-law as an obstacle to his marital relationship. Motivated by revenge, he devised a plan and enlisted the help of the four individuals to execute the murder," the officer added. The suspects have been identified as Nilesh Patil, 25, and Luky Kishor Virare, 20, who operate a tea stall in Nandurbar. The other two are 16 and 17 years old. After kidnapping Marathe, the perpetrators allegedly murdered him with a rod in a forest located some distance away from the city. The accused then escaped to Surat and proceeded to Gorai. They were caught near Pepsi Ground on Monday morning, an officer said. The wife and daughter of the deceased filed a missing person report at the local police station on March 14 evening. On the night of March 15, authorities became aware of the discovery of a deceased individual. Subsequently, on the morning of March 16, they officially registered a case and commenced their investigation. Mar 16Day body was found

19 March,2024 07:10 AM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah Khan
Rupali Pol, assistant police inspector, along with Constable Vijay Yadav, disguised as local villagers; (centre) Crime Branch officials outside the factory in Varanasi; (right) Crime Branch officials with seized drugs and preparation equipment

Thane Crime Branch busts major drug factory in Varanasi

Thane Crime Branch Unit 1 discovered a factory that was involved in the preparation of Mephedrone Crystal Power (MD), operating within a house on a farmland in Varasani, Uttar Pradesh. The operation led to the arrest of six individuals. The investigation commenced with the initial arrest of 15 grams of MD in Thane, subsequently tracing the operation to Varanasi. In total, six individuals were arrested, and authorities confiscated MD, valued at Rs 27.78 crore, along with materials worth approximately Rs 8.62 lakh used in its production, and seized one vehicle worth Rs 7 lakh. Supply chain The operation commenced last month with the arrest of Aftab Aziz Malada, 22, on February 24, for possessing 15 grams of MD. Subsequently, the investigation revealed links to Jaynath Yadav, aka Kancha, 27, Sherbahadur Singh, aka Ankit, 23, and Hussain Salim Sayed, 48, all residents of Nalasapora. “We busted a supply chain from Aftab to Sayed.  The drugs were meant to reach the purchasers. Overall we seized around 481 grams of MD worth Rs 14 lakh. On questioning Sayed we found that the drugs were supplied from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh,” said a police officer.  Shivraj Patil, DCP, Thane Crime Branch said, “As soon as we received information about the Varanasi link, we formed a team of Assistant Police Inspector, Rupali Pol and Vijay Yadav a police constable who left for Varanasi. We took the help of the local police in Varanasi and started gathering details through the technical inputs we received from the accused.” Factory raid Rupali Pol, an assistant police inspector from the Thane Crime Branch, along with Vijay Yadav, disguised as local villagers and resided in the area to locate the factory.  “With the help of local police and informants, we discovered that the factory was operating from a house situated on a farmland. Due to the foul odour emitted during the production of MD, it was established in a farmland setting. We remained in the vicinity, gathering intelligence on movements and individuals entering and exiting the premises. Subsequently, on March 16, we conducted a raid on the factory with assistance from the local police,” said Pol. During the raid, the police apprehended Atul Singh, 36, and Santosh Gupta, 38, while also raiding the factory. “We confiscated approximately 2.645 kilograms of materials used in the manufacturing of MD, valued at Rs 2.64 crore,” stated the police officer. The police seized various chemical materials from the factory used in the production of MD, such as mephedrone, methylamine, sodium hydroxide pellets, chloroform, hydrochloric acid, and methylpropional powder. They also confiscated equipment including a hot air oven, magnetic paper, a mixer, and a stirrer rod with a motor.The Crime Branch is now in search of Om Gupta alias Monu who is the mastermind and was been running the chain for the last few years. “Investigation is on to trace Monu. To bust the cycle we are trying to establish  all those involved. Also, who taught them to prepare MD,” said Patil.    Rs 27.78 crThe total value of MD confiscated 

19 March,2024 07:08 AM IST | Mumbai | Faisal Tandel
District collector Rajendra Kshirsagar addresses the media at his office on Monday

4,632 registered voters are over 100 years old in Mumbai suburbs, says Collector

In a press conference at his office Rajendra Kshirsagar, collector, Mumbai Suburban district, disclosed various facts and figures related to the upcoming Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections. Interestingly, more than 4,000 voters are above the age of 100 in the district. A ballot paper voting system will be made available at home for individuals above the age of 85 and divyang certificate holders. Also, 17 cooperative housing societies will be having a polling booth. The district is handling the election process of four Lok Sabha and 26 Vidhan Sabha constituencies in total. Facilities for senior citizens Kshirsagar said, “A total of 4,632 registered voters as of today are above the age of 100. The number is subject to changes after the verification process is completed. The number will surely be lower as many times, there are typing errors and other factors that need to be taken into account during the verification process.” He added, “According to the guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India, individuals above the age of 85 will be provided a ballot paper voting service at their residence. Those holding a valid divyang certificate will be provided the same facilities. All the voting booths will be on the ground floor and will be accessible to disabled individuals as opposed to some voting booths on higher floors during the last elections. A total of 14,130 registered voters in the district are registered under the disability criteria.” Polling booth numbers The district collector said, “A total of 7,380 polling stations are being planned in the district for the general and Assembly elections. These will be located at 1,083 locations across the district of which 2,032 booths will be temporary booths and 27 will be auxiliary polling stations. The projected population of the district is 1,16,00,000. As of data available till January 26, 2024, a total of 27 lakh voters have registered from the district of which 38 lakh registered voters are female while 800 are transgender voters. Also, 17 cooperative housing societies have been declared as polling stations.” “More than 44,000 polling officials have been appointed for the elections and various control rooms have started functioning to ensure the code of conduct is being followed by the candidates,” he added.  Star power A letter signed by the district collector has been sent to 4,000 celebrities in the Mumbai Suburban district, urging them to request their followers to register to exercise their franchise. “Actor Jitendra has posted a video on his social media accounts regarding the same while Aamir Khan and Kailash Kher have been planning to shoot a video and upload it on their handles urging their followers to vote,” said the district collector.  Lok Sabha seats in Mumbai Suburban district  . Mumbai North. Mumbai North West. Mumbai North Central. Mumbai North East 

19 March,2024 07:05 AM IST | Mumbai | Prasun Choudhari
The city’s air quality has been deteriorating in recent months. Pic/Shadab Khan

What are we doing to prevent air pollution in Mumbai: Bombay HC

The approach to tackle air pollution in Mumbai cannot be remedial anymore, it has to be preventive, the Bombay High Court said on Monday, describing the situation in the city as “emergent”. A division bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice G S Kulkarni said the law and rules on air pollution were in place, but now their implementation was required. While the air quality index in the city may be satisfactory, it will return to being poor or in the worse category in a few months, it said. The court was hearing a bunch of petitions and one it had taken up on its own on the rising air pollution in the city in December last year. The court on Monday noted that industries and public projects must be frequently monitored and inspected to ensure compliance with air pollution norms and rules. “We have the law and rules. What is required is implementation. There has to be a permanent and robust mechanism to ensure implementation,” the court said. “Now we have to change the approach. It cannot be remedial, it has to be preventive. The approach now cannot be that you are thirsty so you dig a well. Now these are emergent situations,” the bench said. “Ultimately what we find is everything is in place on paper. Guidelines are there...enactments are there....still, why are we facing all this?” the court questioned.The bench further noted that passing mechanical orders will not help. “We should have a statutory mechanism to address all this instead of involving the court,” it said. The court said the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) was duty-bound to ensure all industries and public project sites comply with the norms and rules. There has to be frequent monitoring and inspection, it said. “The problem is during night time emission from industries is more, causing air pollution in the morning,” the court said.  In the past, industries were generally located outside town or city limits, but with development, residential structures have come up around such establishments, the court said. “Does the state government have any policy by which industries can be shifted to certain other zones?” Justice Kulkarni questioned. Advocate General Birendra Saraf, appearing for the government, informed the bench that in accordance with earlier orders an inspection was carried out at seven public project sites and certain shortcomings were found. These projects include road concreting at Bandra and Khar, the bullet train site at the Bandra-Kurla Complex, the Versova-Bandra Sealink, Mumbai Metro- III, Mumbai Coastal Road, and the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link. “Certain shortcomings were found and the norms were not strictly enforced, but now everything is in place. All the shortcomings have been addressed,” Saraf told the court. The bench directed the MPCB to start the audit of industries in the state immediately. The court posted the matter for further hearing on June 20.  This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

19 March,2024 07:03 AM IST | Mumbai | Agencies
Ravindra, who was the oldest lion at SGNP, died In October 2022 due to  age-related disease. File pic

Mumbai: SGNP may get pair of lions before monsoon

If all goes to plan, the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) will soon get a pair of lions from Gujarat. A senior forest department official from Maharashtra said, “The Maharashtra Forest Department has sent a proposal to the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) to obtain two captive lions from Gujarat in return for two captive tigers from SGNP. We anticipate that the CZA will approve the proposal shortly, following which the animal exchange programme will be completed.” Sources told mid-day that the process is likely to be approved soon and the pair of captive lions might come to SGNP before the monsoon. mid-day had reported that in the first week of November 2023, the state government had sent a letter to the member secretary, CZA (New Delhi) regarding the consent for the exchange of animals between the Sanjay Gandhi Zoological Park and Sakkarbaug Zoo, Junagadh, Gujarat. Sources from the state government told mid-day that recently, a reminder was once again sent to CZA to expedite the process. Dr V Clement Ben, additional principal chief conservator of forests, Western Wildlife Region (Mumbai) and SGNP Director and Chief Conservator of Forest, G Mallikarjun have played an important role in this entire process. In the last week of November 2022, a pair of captive breeding lions arrived from Junagadh to SGNP. When the pair of lions was brought to SGNP, the captive safari had only one lion left, but it died last week. In October 2022, Ravindra, the oldest lion at SGNP died due to age-related disease. The pair of lions brought to SGNP from Gujarat was 3 years old. The lions were initially kept in isolation and later released in the captive safari area. The captive lion safari was started at SGNP in 1975-76 and has been an important tourist attraction, helping generate revenue for the park. The lions in the safari were born to Asian and African lions rescued from circuses. The central zoo authority has directed not to let mating happen among the Asian and African lions in captivity, because of which the population of the captive lions in the SGNP did not increase. The captive tiger and lion safari at SGNP, one of the most-visited national parks in the country, was started in the 1990s and since then has been an important tourist attraction. During the safari, visitors are ferried in mini-buses into an area that is fenced from all sides. 3 YRSAge of lions  when they arrived at SGNP

19 March,2024 07:00 AM IST | Mumbai | A Correspondent
The short safety wall of Gopal Krishna Gokhale Bridge in Andheri

Mumbai: ‘Low Gokhale bridge wall is a danger to all’

The Gopal Krishna Gokhale Bridge in Andheri is facing an issue with its safety wall height, prompting residents to raise concerns. Dhaval Shah, founder of the Andheri Lokhandwala Oshiwara Citizen’s Association (LOCA), wrote to BMC Commissioner I S Chahal highlighting the safety risks posed by the low height of the wall, measuring just 2.5 to three feet. Shah emphasised that the inadequate height poses a danger to pedestrians, including children and school students, who frequently use the footpath. “There is a fear that someone might trip over and get injured,” Shah said, urging authorities to address the matter urgently. Meanwhile, an official from the BMC, responsible for the project, stated that the bridge’s construction adhered to approved designs by an expert panel. However, they pledged to investigate any potential issues regarding the safety wall’s height. The first arm of the Gokhale bridge became operational on February 27, 2024, with the full project slated for completion by May 2024. In addition to the safety wall issue, residents have also raised concerns about the alignment of the C D Barfiwala connector to the Gokhale bridge. Notably, there is a significant height difference of approximately two metres between the two structures, with the Gokhale bridge being taller. The BMC is awaiting an expert report from the Veermata Jijabai Bhonsle Technology Institute to resolve this disparity and effectively connect the Barfiwala connector to the Gokhale bridge.

19 March,2024 06:58 AM IST | Mumbai | A Correspondent
I S Chahal

Mumbai: EC orders removal of Chahal and his deputies

Though the Election Commissioner directed the Chief Secretary (CS) of the state to remove the civic chief I S Chahal and two additional commissioners of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, along with other similarly positioned officers, the order from the CS hadn’t reached the BMC officers as of late evening on Monday. Chahal wasn’t present in his office but replied that he had no idea of the order. The order from the CS may come before 6 pm on Tuesday, marking the first time a BMC chief will be transferred after an EC order.  The second floor of the BMC headquarters, usually bustling with activity due to the civic chief’s office, was deserted on Tuesday, with only security guards and peons present, indicating the chief’s absence. Meanwhile, the adjacent office of the joint municipal commissioner was flooded with visitors as usual, despite the code of conduct in place. Although news of the EC’s order for the removal of three senior officers spread rapidly, there was only quiet chatter among the employees. Chahal addressing a press conference. File pic In a letter to the chief secretary of Maharashtra, the EC secretary mentioned that it was conveyed that no officer directly involved in elections should continue in their present district of position if they are posted in their home district or have completed three years in that district on or before June 30, 2024. Chahal joined the BMC in May 2020 and will complete four years. When asked about the order, Chahal replied to the message stating he hadn’t received any order and had no knowledge of it. However, senior officials in the BMC were discussing the names of IAS officers who may become their new superiors. “The order may come by tomorrow evening as directed by the EC, but it will come from the state chief secretary. There are nine officials, including one commissioner and two additional commissioners from the BMC, so the state has to transfer at least 10 officers even though they opted for swapping,” said one of the senior officials. Another officer added, “This is happening for the first time in the history of the BMC. The elections are conducted by district commissioners, and being a local body, the civic chief was never on the hit list of the election commissioner. But from last year, the commercial capital has become a political capital as well, so perhaps the election commissioner has taken note of it.” Additional Commissioner P Velarasu joined the BMC in January 2020, while Ashwini Bhide joined the corporation in May 2020 amid a task force for COVID-19.

19 March,2024 06:55 AM IST | Mumbai | Prajakta Kasale
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