Mumbai: All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) corporator Shamir Ramzan Patel, elected from Mumbai's Govandi Ward 137 on an OBC-reserved seat, has been disqualified after the District Caste Scrutiny Committee invalidated his caste validity certificate. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) announced the disqualification during its General Body meeting on Monday. Patel is the second corporator to lose his seat on these grounds within a week, after Shiv Sena (UBT) corporator Deepak Sawant from Bhandup 'S' Ward 111 was similarly disqualified last week.
Recovery of Benefits Ordered
Following the Ahilyanagar District Caste Scrutiny Committee's decision, the BMC cancelled Patel's membership under the Maharashtra Caste Certificate Act and the BMC Act. The civic body noted that while an election petition is pending before the Small Causes Court, no stay has been granted on the committee's order, nor has the High Court provided any interim relief. Consequently, the administration proceeded with the disqualification and ordered the recovery of honorarium, allowances and other benefits received by Patel as a corporator, along with further administrative action. With Patel's disqualification, AIMIM's strength in the 2026 BMC has reduced from eight to seven corporators, leaving the OBC-reserved seat in Govandi's Ward 137 vacant pending further legal and electoral procedures.
