BMC tightens promotion rules to curb refusals, delayed joining

A circular issued by municipal commissioner Ashwini Bhide on Monday said that repeated instances of employees declining promotions or failing to assume charge on time had adversely impacted the civic body’s administrative functioning

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has tightened its promotion policy, introducing a two-year debarment from promotions for employees who decline them and stricter timelines for joining new posts.

Mumbai, India - Oct. 24, 2025: Ashwini Bhide during the interview at Mantralaya in Mumbai, India, on Friday, October 24, 2025. (Photo by Anshuman Poyrekar/Hindustan Times) (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

A circular issued by municipal commissioner Ashwini Bhide on Monday said that repeated instances of employees declining promotions or failing to assume charge on time had adversely impacted the civic body’s administrative functioning, prompting a review of the existing policy.

The move comes days after HT reported on June 26 that 17 assistant engineers and two executive engineers had refused long-pending promotions, raising concerns about the impact on the functioning of key civic departments. Congress group leader in the BMC, Ashraf Azmi, had flagged the issue and urged the civic administration to examine the reasons behind the refusals.

Under the revised guidelines, promotion orders will be communicated both in writing and by email. Employees must assume charge of their new posts within 15 days of receiving the order. The earlier of the two dates—physical receipt of the promotion order or its delivery by email—will be treated as the date of acceptance.

The circular also makes it mandatory for department and office heads to relieve promoted employees within seven days of receiving the promotion order. If they fail to do so, employees will be permitted to join their new posts without waiting for a separate relieving order, and such joining will be treated as valid.

Employees who fail to join their promoted posts within 15 days will automatically be deemed to have refused the promotion, even if they do not submit a formal written refusal. Those declining promotions will be required to provide written reasons to the competent authority.

Under the new policy, employees who refuse promotions will be barred from being considered for promotion for two years. After the disqualification period, their cases will be reconsidered only in accordance with prevailing rules and the recommendations of the departmental promotion committee. Such employees will also lose the protection of their previous service seniority, with juniors promoted during the intervening period being treated as senior to them.

The BMC has also sought to curb the practice of refusing promotions to avoid transfers. If it is found that an employee has declined a promotion to avoid being posted to a particular department, office, or assignment, the employee may be transferred to another department after the departmental promotion committee completes its process.

Similarly, employees who voluntarily seek or accept reversion to a lower post will not be eligible for promotion for two years from the date of reversion. The circular also clarifies that employees disqualified for refusing promotion or accepting reversion will have to submit a fresh written request after the disqualification period before their promotion claims can be reconsidered. Promotion eligibility will not be restored automatically.

The new circular supersedes the BMC’s promotion guidelines issued on September 19, 1992, for all future promotion orders, while cases covered under the earlier circular will continue to be governed by the previous provisions. The revised policy has come into force with immediate effect, and all department heads have been directed to ensure its strict implementation.