Aaditya Thackeray Demands Immediate BMC Elections Amid Administrative Gap

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray urged for the overdue elections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) currently managed by a government-appointed administrator. He emphasized the need for elected representatives to address civic issues, noting the two-year absence of corporators and the vacant posts of 15 ward officers.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Friday demanded the immediate holding of long-pending elections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which is currently managed by a Maharashtra government-appointed administrator.

Addressing the assembly, Thackeray, an MLA from Worli in Mumbai, highlighted the more than two-year absence of corporators and the vacant posts of 15 civic ward officers.

The former Maharashtra minister argued that local MLAs have had to step in for tasks typically handled at the civic level, emphasizing the need for elected representatives to serve the city's populace. Thackeray urged for the polls to be conducted promptly to enable proper civic governance.

State Industries Minister Uday Samant informed the house that the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) has begun proceedings to fill the vacant ward officer positions. Elections to the BMC and other significant municipal corporations, including Thane and Pune, have been delayed since early 2022.

Currently, senior IAS officer Bhushan Gagrani serves as both the municipal commissioner and the administrator. In February, Gagrani presented a budget of Rs 59,954.75 crore for the fiscal year 2024-25, underscoring the civic body's substantial financial responsibilities.