The Maharashtra Government has initiated the process for the appointment of administrators in nine municipal corporations, whose term will expire between March and April. The appointment will be made as per the laws applicable to these civic bodies which included Thane, Pune, Pimpri Chinchwad, Nashik, Ulhasnagar, Solapur, Amravati, Akola and Nagpur.
The state cabinet on Wednesday has already approved amendments to the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, 1888 for the appointment of an administrator in BMC after March 7. The amendments are necessitated as there is no provision in the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, 1888 for the appointment of administrator in BMC.
The Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi and BJP have already launched preparations for the upcoming polls in these civic bodies.
These bodies are expected to have seats reserved for other backward classes (OBCs) as the state Governor BS Koshyari has recently cleared the bill passed by the state legislature to provide a 27% quota to OBCs in these bodies. Besides, the Maharashtra State Backward Classes Commission (MSBCC) in its interim report prepared based on the OBC data submitted by the state government has strongly recommended the 27% political reservation to OBCs in civic and local bodies for the purpose of their participation and decision-making process in local bodies than the percentage of their representations.
The Supreme Court is expected to soon hear the OBC quota case after the state government submits the interim report of MSBCC.
A senior urban development department officer said the term of five municipal corporations including Aurangabad, Navi Mumbai, Vasai Virar, Kalyan-Dombivali and Kolhapur has already expired in 2020. The state government had already appointed administrators in these civic bodies as the elections could not be conducted due to the pandemic.
Further, the term of other eight Municipal Corporations including Latur, Parbhani, Chandrapur, Bhiwandi-Nizampur, Malegaon, Panvel, Mira-Bhayander and Nanded will expire between May and October.
