Ball in CM's court as Mayor seeks recall of NMMC chief Mundhe

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis might have to do some tight rope walk regarding the no confidence motion passed against Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, in view of growing support for the officer among citizens and a demand by Navi Mumbai Mayor for his immediate recall.
The fate of the motion, passed by majority of corporators yesterday, now rests with Fadnavis who heads the Urban Development Department, where the motion will be finally sent for approval.
However, the discord between Mundhe and NMMC corporators seems deeply entrenched, with Mayor Sudhakar Sonawane today demanding immediate recall of the officer, saying that he has lost his right to head the civic body.

"This officer was exercising his executive powers autocratically. He lost the sense of democratic style of functioning and this is the reason why almost all the corporators cutting across party lines, voted against him (during no confidence motion)," Sonawane told PTI.
The motion was passed 105-6 at a special meeting convened by the NCP-ruled corporation yesterday. The six corporators of BJP voted against the motion, which was supported by Shiv Sena, NCP, Congress and Independents.
This is the first time in the history of the civic body that such a motion has been passed against its Commissioner.

Mundhe, who was present in the House, later alleged that he was not allowed to put forth his side.

Sonawane said the House has apprised the state government about the motion and demanded immediate recall of the officer and wanted him to be replaced by another IAS officer.
"We informed the state government about the motion passed against the officer through an e-mail. We are going to send a hard copy of the decision today and hope that the Chief Minister would call the officer immediately to take action on our motion," the Mayor said.
He said the section 36 (3) of Bombay Provincial Municipal Corporations Act, 1949 stipulates that if such a motion is passed by even 60 corporators, the administrative head should be sacked with immediate effect.

To a question whether Mundhe was targetted by politicians as he cracked whip on illegal activities that clashed with the interests of the powerful lobby of politicians, Sonawane said, "These kind of allegations have no element of truth. Only being honest does not mean everything. An officer who heads administrative things should have the capacity and ability to take every concerned stakeholder along with him. He or she cannot misuse the executive powers blatantly."
Meanwhile, an online petition has requested Fadnavis to overrule the motion against the officer.