Now Reading: Shiv Sena demands disqualification of former Mumbai mayor Vishakha Raut
-
01
Shiv Sena demands disqualification of former Mumbai mayor Vishakha Raut
Shiv Sena demands disqualification of former Mumbai mayor Vishakha Raut
Shiv Sena corporator Priya Gurav has met BMC chief Ashwini Bhide demanding the disqualification of former mayor Vishakha Raut, citing an August 21 order by the Palghar District Caste Verification Committee that…
Shiv Sena corporator Priya Gurav has met BMC chief Ashwini Bhide demanding the disqualification of former mayor Vishakha Raut, citing an August 21 order by the Palghar District Caste Verification Committee that cancelled Raut's OBC certificate. Gurav lost to Raut in Ward 191 in Dadar, a seat reserved for OBC women, by just 197 votes in the 2026 civic polls.
Raut has alleged the committee's decision was taken under political pressure from her rivals and maintains she holds a valid Kunbi OBC certificate from her ancestral village in Palghar. Four other BMC corporators have already been disqualified over invalid caste validity certificates, with several challenging their removal in court. The BMC commissioner will now decide whether to act on Gurav's representation.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The Palghar committee's August 21 order adds to a growing list of disqualifications in the BMC, where four corporators have already lost their seats over invalid OBC certificates after scrutiny by district-level caste verification bodies. These committees operate under the Maharashtra government's rules for verifying Kunbi and other OBC claims. Raut's victory margin of 197 votes, one of the slimmest in the 2026 elections, means that if the disqualification is upheld, a bypoll could flip the ward in the next civic election. The matter now rests with the BMC commissioner, who will decide on Gurav's disqualification demand and may face a legal challenge from Raut.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
