Navi Mumbai: Citizen advocacy group Sajag Nagrik Manch has issued a strong warning of a possible voting boycott or coordinated use of NOTA in the upcoming Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) elections, alleging continued administrative opacity and violation of citizens’ constitutional rights.
Allegations of RTI Act violations and deliberate withholding of information
In a statement released on Thursday, the Manch accused the NMMC administration of deliberately withholding public information and flouting Section 4 (Proactive Disclosure) of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005.
The group said that unless immediate steps are taken to ensure transparency, accountability, and public participation, citizens will be compelled to adopt the campaign “No Information, No Vote.”
The organisation’s founder, Sudhir Laxmikant Dani, has sent a detailed letter to the Municipal Commissioner, criticising what he described as sustained indifference to democratic values. According to the Manch, more than 150 citizens had emailed the Commissioner over the past year seeking transparency in civic functioning, but received no response. Even a subsequent legal notice, sent three months ago, failed to elicit any reply.
Silence termed an affront to constitutional rights
“This silence is not just administrative negligence, but an affront to citizens’ constitutional rights,” the statement said.
The Manch alleged that the lack of public access to information related to municipal expenditure, tender processes, development works, fund allocation, and utilisation of corporators’ funds has created an environment conducive to corruption.
“In a democracy, a questioning citizen is not an adversary but the owner of the system. Yet, citizens are being met with silence, evasion, and even blocking of phone numbers,” the statement noted.
Sajag Nagrik Manch has placed three key demands before the civic administration:
Public disclosure of finances: Real-time, voucher-wise and item-wise details of expenditure by every NMMC department, with ward-wise breakup, to be uploaded on the official website.
Lack of information alleged to encourage corruption
The group emphasised that voting alone does not define democracy if it merely legitimises a non-transparent system. It warned that failure to meet the demands would lead to citywide awareness campaigns through banners, social media, and public meetings, culminating in a poll boycott or organised NOTA voting.
Copies of the statement have been forwarded to the Governor, Chief Minister, State Election Commissioner, and Police Commissioner.
“Opaque governance weakens democracy. To protect it, citizens are now being forced to take to the streets,” the Manch said.
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