Chahal named observer for BMC poll

An Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officer of the 1989 batch, IS Chahal was BMC commissioner for nearly four years, starting May 2020

Mumbai: The State Election Commission (SEC) has appointed additional chief secretary (home) Iqbal Singh Chahal as observer for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) election on January 15. An Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officer of the 1989 batch, Chahal was BMC commissioner for nearly four years, starting May 2020. Since the BMC poll is likely to be very closely contested, three additional collectors have been appointed additional observers, the SEC order said.

Former BMC commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT PHOTO)

The SEC has also appointed IAS officers as observers for the remaining 28 poll-bound municipal corporations. In Thane, Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) chief executive officer P Velarasu, who had served as Thane collector, has been appointed special observer.

In Kalyan Dombivali, MIDC joint chief officer Mantada Raja Dayanidhi has been named special observer; in Mira Bhayandar, skill development commissioner Amit Saini has been named special observer; in Ulhasnagar, Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) managing director Nilesh Gatne has been named special observer; and in Bhiwandi-Nizampur, additional commissioner of the tribal welfare corporation Gopichand Kadam has been named special observer.

The SEC anticipates intense clashes in Navi Mumbai between two factions of the BJP and between the BJP and the Shiv Sena; it has named Bhausaheb Dangade, managing director of Maharashtra Petrochemicals Corporation as special observer for Navi Mumbai polls.

In Vasai-Virar, which has always witnessed trouble in civic polls, the SEC has named Maharashtra Maritime board chief executive officer Pradeep P as special observer, while in Panvel, Integrated Child Development Scheme commissioner Kailash Pagare has been named observer.