Makarand Narwekar Demands BMC Exempt Field Staff From Voter Duty During Monsoon
BJP Corporator Makarand Narwekar has urged Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner Ashwini Bhide to exempt civic field staff in Colaba and other administrative wards from Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and voter list verification duty during the ongoing monsoon season. Narwekar raised concerns that deploying these workers for electoral duties compromises public safety and emergency response efforts in the city.
In a letter addressed to Bhide, the corporator from Colaba highlighted that hundreds of municipal employees across Mumbai’s 24 administrative wards have been pulled from their regular duties. In A Ward alone, around 50 personnel have been requisitioned to serve as Booth Level Officers (BLOs) for the ongoing SIR and voter list verification drive.
Narwekar emphasized that conducting door-to-door voter verification during heavy downpours creates a dangerous conflict of priorities for the civic body. He stated that field staff are critically needed on the ground to handle severe monsoon challenges. These essential duties include ensuring that dewatering pumps in chronic flooding spots are working, coordinating with public representatives and ward disaster management cells, and maintaining vigilance to prevent public hazards.
According to Narwekar, pulling essential personnel for electoral tasks weakens Mumbai’s emergency response mechanisms. He also noted that the threat of administrative action has caused immense distress among employees who are struggling to balance dual emergency workloads.
"Pulling essential personnel for electoral tasks weakens Mumbai’s emergency response mechanisms. Additionally, the threat of administrative action has caused immense distress among employees trying to balance dual emergency workloads. Hence I urge the administration to consult with the Chief Electoral Officer of Maharashtra, S. Chockalingam, to temporarily halt the deployment of active ward staff," Narwekar said.
The corporator urged the BMC administration to immediately consult with Chief Electoral Officer S. Chockalingam to resolve the issue and temporarily halt the deployment of active ward staff.
