The Bombay High Court on Monday dismissed a plea by two BJP councillors challenging a November 30 ordinance of the Maharashtra government increasing the ward strength of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) by nine, from 227 to 236.

A bench of Justices AA Sayed and Abhay Ahuja was hearing the plea by BJP councillors Abhijit Samant and Rajeshree Shirwadkar challenging the notification issued by the Maharashtra Urban Development Department. The petitioners, through senior advocate Veerendra Tulzapurkar, argued the ordinance was illegal and arbitrary, and was issued ahead of the BMC elections to benefit a certain political party.