24 April,2026 08:46 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation Commissioner Ashwini Bhide. File Pic
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Friday urged political parties and public representatives to cooperate in the implementation of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) programme for electoral rolls in Mumbai.
Municipal Commissioner and District Election Officer Ashwini Bhide made the appeal during a meeting with representatives of various political parties at the BMC headquarters today.
The exercise, being carried out under the directives of the Election Commission of India, aims to update voter lists in Mumbai City and suburban districts. Officials said the revision is necessary to address issues such as migration, duplicate entries, deceased voters and illegal registrations.
Bhide noted that the last such intensive revision in Maharashtra was conducted in 2002 and emphasised the need for a comprehensive update.
The SIR programme will be implemented in six phases: pre-revision mapping, enumeration, preparation of AASD (Already Enrolled, Absent, Shifted, Dead) list, publication of draft rolls, claims and objections, and final publication.
Currently, voter mapping is underway, with officials matching data from the 2002 rolls with the 2024 electoral database using the BLO app.
Highlighting the importance of coordination, Bhide said Booth Level Officers (BLOs) have been deployed for the exercise. She also urged political parties to appoint Booth Level Agents (BLAs) to ensure transparency and the timely completion of the process.
Senior civic officials and representatives from multiple political parties attended the meeting.
Meanwhile, reports stated that Ashwini Bhide carried out a surprise inspection at a solid waste facility in Bandra West recently to review sanitation efforts. The BMC boss checked staff attendance and registers and directed officials to ensure better cleanliness, waste handling, and coordination.
Reports said Bhide interacted directly with sanitation workers to assess on-ground workforce deployment. Officials have been directed to prioritise hygiene and cleanliness and given instructions for effective road sweeping, proper waste handling, and regular sanitation of public spaces such as bus stops and surrounding areas.
Those who wish to bring about change, or complain about civic issues, have often despaired about the different departments of the BMC and other official services, since there is passing the buck and one department does not take responsibility or even know what the other is doing. The BMC chief stated that improved inter-departmental cooperation is crucial for maintaining cleanliness and enhancing overall civic management.
This surprise visit is a pleasant surprise to many and should be one of the first, one hopes, of several such initiatives across the board.
These surprise visits keep workers on their toes. They give a signal that there must be accountability and there is human âsurveillance', where work is being checked. Citizens feel reassured that their welfare/interests are in mind when they see superiors pulling up those responsible for shoddy work. This should also build a bridge between the people and civic authorities, and it should narrow the trust deficit.
