NCP Corporators reject proposal to disqualify one of their own

MUMBAI: Cutting across party lines, the general body rejected a proposal by the BMC administration to initiate the process for disqualification of NCP corporator Manisha Rahate, accused of illegal construction, on Thursday.
It was the second instance of its kind in two months. Shiv Sena corporator Mangesh Satamkar also benefited from such a decision by the general body.
Rules say corporators can be disqualified if they, their spouses or their dependants are found to be involve in illegal construction or encroachment. The civic administration, after examining the details, prepares the disqualification proposal to approach the small causes court. But first, before approaching the court, the administration must call a general body meeting. If the general body rejects the proposal, no action is initiated against the corporator.
In Rahate's case, civic officials stated that a Vikhroli slum house was constructed in 2010 by her father, who died in 2013. After the death, the house was transferred in the name of Rahate's mother. Rahate was elected as a corporator in 2017 and in her election affidavit she mentioned that her mother was dependent on her.
When the disqualification proposal was placed in the general body meeting on Thursday, the NCP group leader in the BMC Rakhi Jadhav said: "The construction was not made during her tenure as corporator and the BMC notice was not in her name. Also, there is court stay over the structure. So there is no question of Rahate's disqualification."
Mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar, who was chairing the meeting, rejected the civic administration's proposal.
Two months ago, the general body meeting had rejected a similar proposal concerning Satamkar, who allegedly made illegal extensions in a zunka bhakar kendra at Sion-Koliwada. Satamkar, who had unsuccessfully contested the state assembly election in 2014, told the administration that he had all the required permissions from the government authorities and he had removed the illegal shed of the kendra after BMC notice.
Congress corporator and opposition leader in the BMC Ravi Raja supported rejection of Rahate's disqualification proposal. He said: "Rahate and Satamkar's cases are different, so we supported her. We are opposed to the rejection of Satamkar's disqualification proposal, but unfortunately we were not in the meeting when the proposal came as we were busy with our party president's visit to Mumbai that day."