No FIR yet against disqualified BMC corporators: RTI query

MUMBAI: Though 21 corporators of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) have been disqualified since 2007, almost all of them for submitting fake caste certificates, no case has been registered against any of them so far, the answer to an RTI query has revealed.

City-based activist Anil Galgali had filed a query under the Right to Information (RTI) Act with the civic body, seeking details of the action taken against the disqualified corporators. Officer of BMC's legal department, S D Fulsunge, in his reply given recently, said no case has been filed against any corporator ever since their disqualification. He also said the legal department forwards the election petitions to the small causes court.

The election department said that most of the 21 corporators were disqualified for submitting fake caste certificates, while one of them was disqualified for flouting the two-child norm. They were elected in the 2007, 2012 and 2017 civic polls.

In a separate reply, deputy law officer of the small causes court, Anant Kajrolkar, also said no FIR has been registered against any of the disqualified corporators yet.

Expressing his displeasure over BMC's "inaction" against the disqualified members, Galgali has written to CM Devendra Fadnavis and BMC chief Ajoy Mehta.

"This is completely absurd and unprofessional. When corporators were disqualified for submitting fake caste certificates, why didn't the BMC initiate criminal cases against them?" he asked in the letter.

"If the BMC takes action against these fraudsters, it will act as a deterrent. Otherwise candidates will keep submitting fake certificates in every election," the activist said.

When contacted, Galgali said the list included that of the current mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar as well when he contested the civic polls in 2007. "It appears the authorities purposefully act lax. It's important the role be fixed within the system on who should be responsible for taking action," he said.