High Court quashes 69 MBMC appointments

The Bombay High Court on Monday struck down the appointment of 69 employees by the Mira-Bhayander Municipal Corporation (MBMC) directly from a private building firm.

The court quashed a resolution passed by the corporation and observed,“…from any angle,the part of the resolution to appoint/absorb the persons working with ‘Shantistar Builders’ under Water Supply Scheme,in the regular employment of the corporation,without following the relevant provisions and method of appointment is illegal and in violation of the law….” Jayesh Bhoir and Vinod Shewante,who had applied for class IV posts in the MBMC,filed the petition contesting the appointments made by the corporation despite issuing public advertisements for vacancies.

The court noted that Shantistar Builders who had build a township ‘Shanti Nagar,’ had proposed to transfer the water supply system run by them to the MBMC along with its employees. The municipal commissioner passed an order on June 27,2007,absorbing 69 employees to vacant posts in the MBMC.

The judges held that the transfer of water supply scheme by the builders may have been within the domain of the corporation; however,transfer of the scheme along with employees working with a private builder is illegal.