02 September,2026 08:06 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Vishakha Raut was elected in the January BMC elections from high-profile Ward 191. File Pic/Facebook
The Bombay High Court on Wednesday rejected a petition filed by Shiv Sena (UBT) corporator and former Mumbai Mayor Vishakha Raut, challenging the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner's order removing her as a corporator, reported the PTI.
The case relates to the validity of Raut's Other Backward Classes (OBC) caste certificate. The civic commissioner had also informed the Maharashtra government to notify her disqualification from contesting elections for six years, the news agency reported.
The District Caste Scrutiny Committee had invalidated Raut's OBC certificate last month.
The committee found that the officer who issued the certificate did not have the required jurisdiction to issue it.
Raut had produced a caste certificate issued in 2005, stating that she belonged to the OBC Kunbi community. In August 2026, the scrutiny committee declared the certificate to be false, according to the PTI.
Following the committee's decision, the BMC Commissioner issued an order removing Raut from her position as corporator.
Raut challenged the BMC Commissioner's action before the High Court.
Her petition argued that there was a mandatory 90-day period during which disqualification could not be enforced, pending the hearing of her appeal against the caste scrutiny committee's decision.
A bench comprising Justices Girish Kulkarni and Neela Gokhale rejected this argument.
The court observed that the contention appeared convincing at first but could not withstand closer examination. It also rejected Raut's argument that the BMC Commissioner did not have the authority to issue the disqualification order, as per the PTI.
The Bombay High Court held that once a caste certificate is declared false, the legal consequence of disqualification follows.
The court found no illegality in the orders passed by the Mumbai civic chief and dismissed Raut's petition as lacking merit.
Raut had also argued that her certificate had not been cancelled on the ground of fraud and therefore could not be used as a basis for disqualification.
The High Court rejected this argument as well.
Raut has challenged the caste scrutiny committee's decision before the Divisional Commissioner, Konkan, and the appeal is still pending, the news agency reported.
While refusing to grant her relief, the High Court said she could approach the Divisional Commissioner and request an expedited hearing of her appeal.
Raut was elected in the January BMC elections from high-profile Ward 191, covering areas including Shivaji Park and Dadar West, as per the PTI.
The ward was reserved for OBC women.
Raut defeated Priya Sarvankar Gurav, who contested from the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.
The High Court's decision now leaves Raut to pursue her pending appeal before the Divisional Commissioner.
(with PTI inputs)
