2 govt officers booked for skipping SIR duties

The two officers have been summoned for questioning before the police initiates any action against them

MUMBAI: The Bandra Kurla Complex police on Monday booked two government officers for allegedly failing to report for work related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The two officers – Manoj Kulkarni, a deputy manager (finance and accounts) with the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL) and Atul Waghmare, an executive assistant with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) sewage department – have been summoned for questioning before the police initiates any action against them, an officer from BKC police station said.

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A first information report (FIR) was registered against Kulkarni and Waghmare based on a complaint from Yuvraj Gadvi, 52, a deputy tehsildar (elections) with the revenue department.

In his complaint, Gadvi said that the posts of Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs) for 26 assembly constituencies in the Mumbai Suburban district were notified on May 15; and as per the orders received from the Deputy District Election Officer, officers from various government departments were roped in for SIR-related work.

On June 17, Gadvi’s office communicated to the Head of Department and Director (finance and accounts) at MSEDCL that Kulkarni had been appointed as AERO for the 176 Bandra East assembly constituency. Although the Commission has clear instructions to complete the work by August 8, Kulkarni neither attended meetings related to the assigned work, nor oversaw the work underway, Gadvi alleged.

Gadvi further stated that his office received the list of BMC employees to be roped in for SIR-related work from the Deputy District Election Officer. Civic employees, after being relieved from their offices in phases, reported for SIR-related work at the 176 Bandra East assembly constituency election central office. But Waghmare, appointed booth level officer (BLO), frequently remained absent from work without permission, and as of Monday, only 14.13% of the assigned work had been completed, Gadvi claimed.

Gadvi also told the police that he sent multiple notices to the department heads of Kulkarni and Waghmare via WhatsApp and email on July 17 and 18, saying they had not turned up for SIR-related work.

This is the second instance of government officers in Mumbai being booked for allegedly skipping SIR-related duties. On July 15, the Vakola police booked 11 school teachers after they allegedly failed to report for SIR-related work as their schools did not relieve them.