Navi Mumbai: The demand for regularizing employees working on a fixed honorarium basis in the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has gained momentum. A formal request has been submitted to Maharashtra Chief Minister, urging the implementation of the Supreme Court’s recent verdict on the matter.
Several employees, including clerks, teachers, accounts clerks, multipurpose health workers, sanitation inspectors, pharmacists, drivers, and engineers, have been working in NMMC for the past 10 to 15 years on minimal wages.
"Despite their long service, they remain on temporary contracts, with their tenure being reviewed every six months. Department heads have consistently certified their services as satisfactory and essential for the corporation," said party worker Ravindra Sawant.
Referring to the Supreme Court’s rulings in Special Leave Petition Nos. 5580/2024 and 11086/2024, it has been highlighted that employees who have served for ten years or more on fixed honorarium should be regularized. In line with this judgment, it has been urged that NMMC regularize all such employees who meet these criteria.
"The petition further emphasizes that many of these employees have crossed the age limit to secure jobs elsewhere, making regularization their only viable employment option. Their low income has also led to financial hardships. In light of these challenges, it has been requested that the state government take immediate action to ensure justice for these workers," said Sawant.
Additionally, the petition calls for halting any new recruitment processes until a decision on regularization is made. Failure to address this demand may result in large-scale protests by workers’ unions, signaling potential unrest in the city’s municipal administration.
The plea has been submitted to the Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Urban Development, along with the Principal Secretary of the Urban Development Department and the Commissioner of Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation.
