Corporator’s nickname gets him disqualified

A sitting Nationalist congress party (NCP) corporator was disqualified for fighting the 2007 civic elections on his nickname. The small causes court disqualified NCP corporator Malik Abdul Rashid Mohammed Islam, better known as ‘Kaptan’ Malik on Saturday.

A sitting Nationalist congress party (NCP) corporator was disqualified for fighting the 2007 civic elections on his nickname. The small causes court disqualified NCP corporator Malik Abdul Rashid Mohammed Islam, better known as ‘Kaptan’ Malik on Saturday.

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The court passed this order based on a petition filed by ex-Bhartiya Janta Party corporator, Khamanchand Jain, who claimed Malik was trying to mislead his constituency with his nickname ‘Kaptan’, which translates into ‘Captain’ in English. Jain had fought against Malik in the 2007 civic elections from ward no 161 in Kurla and lost.

Jain said, “With a name like Kaptan, he gave the impression that he was a retired Armed forces captain, which is unfair. He has neither been in the Army or the Navy, neither has he ever been a Kabaddi team’s captain. How can he have such a nickname then?”

Confirming this, Malik said, “I had made an application to the election commission before to polls, to allow me to use the name ‘Kaptan Malik’ on my ballot papers because I am better known by that name in the area. The EC had allowed this. I never claimed to be a captain in the Army or the Navy.”

Said Jain, “Malik had contested the civic polls in 2002 by his original name. In a span of five years, how did he suddenly become a captain? Also, the voter’s list has his original name. Hence, he cannot be allowed to stand in elections using a nickname, without even mentioning that it is an alias.”

NCP group leader in the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation Niyaz Vanu said the matter would be pursued ahead. “We will appeal in the high court against it. It is a minor matter and this will have no impact on Malik’s candidature for the upcoming civic polls.”