BMC Cracks Down on Absentee Officers Ahead of Civic Polls

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has issued showcause notices to 6,871 employees who were absent from mandatory civic poll duties. Despite repeated instructions, 4,521 remain unaccounted for, prompting BMC to warn of police action and penalties. The civic polls are scheduled for January 15 with over 1.03 crore voters.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has taken decisive action against 6,871 employees who failed to report for mandatory civic poll duties scheduled for January 15. An official statement released on Sunday confirmed that showcause notices have been issued to absentee employees.

Out of the 6,871 notified, 2,350 individuals have since joined the election process. However, the remaining 4,521 have not reported for training or other assigned tasks, prompting the BMC to initiate police action, including penalties and potential departmental proceedings, starting Monday.

Those facing action span a range of sectors, including BMC, nationalized banks, insurance companies, and several public sector bodies. The BMC, led by Additional Municipal Commissioner Dr. Ashwini Joshi, emphasized the critical nature of election duties and cited a significant staff shortfall ahead of the impending civic polls.

(With inputs from agencies.)