After no-trust motion, Navi Mumbai civic chief Tukaram Mundhe gives report to Maharashtra govt

All political parties, excluding the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation on Tuesday joined forces to vote against Mundhe, alleging the bureaucrat disrespected elected representatives and took arbitrary decisions

Navi Mumbai civic chief Tukaram Mundhe, whom corporators voted out with a no-confidence resolution, submitted a report stating his stand to the state government on Wednesday.

“We are examining the report and will take appropriate action,” a senior official from the state urban development department said.

All political parties, excluding the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation on Tuesday joined forces to vote against Mundhe, alleging the bureaucrat disrespected elected representatives and took arbitrary decisions. Mundhe, an IAS officer from the 2005 batch, has, however, received ample citizen support for cracking down on corruption in the civic body of Mumbai’s satellite city, and acting swiftly on illegal encroachments.

The state government can exercise its special powers to suspend or rescind the no-confidence motion in the larger public interest. While sources close to the chief minister said the government is likely to back Mundhe, it is yet to take a final call.

Mundhe, however, denied submitting any report to the state government saying his visit to Mantralaya, the state headquarters, was for a routine matter.

CBD Belapur: The Maharashtra Finance and Accounts Service Officers Association (MFAS) requested chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to rescind the no-confidence motion passed against NMMC commissioner Tukaram Mundhe by the general body on Tuesday.

MFAS general secretary Sameer Bhatkar sent a letter to the chief minister with a copy to the Maharashtra Gazetted Officers Mahasangh.

The letter states the chief minister is aware that Mundhe is an extremely efficient and upright officer. However, due to certain unfortunate circumstances a no-confidence motion has been passed against him. It claims that upright officers of the finance and accounts department, too, have been facing similar issues while working in the municipal corporations. Mundhe too was earlier posted in the department.

The letter appeals the chief minister using the powers he has under Municipal Corporation Act section 451 rescind the motion. It also requests him to frame laws that will prevent such action against all officers in any municipal corporation.