19 June,2024 10:29 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
The BMC headquarters. File photo
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has reportedly stated that even though the Lok Sabha election 2024 procedure was completed a fortnight ago, the Election Commission has not yet released approximately 4,400 civic employees from poll duty, negatively impacting their pre-monsoon preparations.
According to the PTI reports, the EC had assigned 11,847 BMC officers and staffers for election duty as block-level and zonal-level officers in February, but 4,393 of them are yet to be relieved from the duty.
Lok Sabha elections 2024 were held in seven phases across the country.
In Maharashtra, the polling was conducted in five phases between April 19 and May 20. In Mumbai, it was held on May 20.
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Talking to PTI, a senior BMC official said that BMC commissioner Bhushan Gagrani has already written to the collectors of both Mumbai city and Mumbai suburban district regarding the issue, but the officers and staffers have still not been relieved.
BMC officers told PTI that the absence of such a large number of officers and staffers affected the pre-monsoon work of the civic body, and it continues to hamper the work.
"Completing the pre-monsoon works became a challenge for the BMC due to the unavailability of the officers and staffers who were absorbed by the BMC for the election duty," Vijay Balamwar, divisional municipal commissioner of the BMC, told PTI.
According to the BMC officials, the EC had also sought the services of additional 11,500 BMC staffers for three to four days on the day of polling (May 20) and counting of votes (June 4), but all of them were relieved immediately after the task, reported the PTI.
When contacted, Rajendra Kshirsagar, collector of Mumbai suburban district, told PTI that they had relieved all the employees except those required for the forthcoming Maharashtra assembly election preparations.
Sanjay Yadav, collector of Mumbai city, could not be reached for his comment on the issue, reported PTI.
As reported by the agency, BMC officials said that if the election commission needs officers and staffers for upcoming elections, rather than retaining those already deputed, it should request others to replace the current officers and staffers.
(with PTI inputs)
