Don’t revise, re-submit proposals, BMC told

As Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections approach, the state government is using various tactics to clip the wings of the civic body. It has asked the BMC not to reopen proposals rejected by the standing committee earlier.

This may take a toll on projects which are in the city’s interest but which have been turned down on flimsy grounds.

The state government has issued a circular to the BMC under section 520(c) of the BMC Act, 1888, that allows it to interfere in municipal financial matters.

In 2003, the then civic chief SS Tinaikar had written to the Lokpal, complaining that the standing committee had been giving approvals to proposals earlier rejected by the same committee. This, he had said, caused the civic body financial losses because of cost variations in the interim period. At times, the committee would reopen proposals to protect the interests of contractors. The commissioner was powerless to influence the fate of such re-submitted proposals.

The BMC had argued that the Supreme Court, too, had the right to review its own decisions under article 145 of the Constitution. It said that the BMC similarly has the right to function under section 49 of the BMC Act, 1888.

The Lokpal ruled that the municipal commissioner starts work on a proposal that has been approved by the standing committee. But his work goes waste if the committee wishes to make changes in the proposal and reopen it. After hearing both sides, the Lokpal directed the state government not to allow the standing committee to reopen proposals that have already been tabled and discussed.

In the light of the Lokpal’s directives, the state government has now directed the BMC not to revise and re-submit proposals that have already undergone a discussion in the municipal corporation.