In a setback to the Mumbai civic body, the Bombay High Court on Thursday halted its plan to convert Neville D’Souza Football Ground at Bandra Reclamation into an exhibition or convention centre, directing it to refrain from taking any further steps until the next hearing on September 18.

The development comes a day after the Mumbai Football Association (MFA) flagged a BMC move to clear a proposal to convert the Bandra football ground to an exhibition-cum-convention centre despite earlier assurances that the ground would not be converted.

“You tell us where the people will be playing football?” asked the Bombay High Court as it stopped the BMC move.

The court also took cognizance of the oral assurance the Mumbai civic body had made to it, saying it was “unfortunate” that the oral assurance by the BMC lawyer was not communicated to BMC Commissioner Ashwini Bhide.

“Some space has to be left open; otherwise, the next generation will forget Maidani Khel (outdoor sports) and the grounds,” a bench of Acting Chief Justice Ravindra V Ghuge and Justice Gautam A Ankhad orally remarked.

It said, “We have a bigger problem. We have an issue of the majesty of law being at stake. If the elected people or authorities are going to jeer at the courts, then that’s something very bad. So, we are now going to do something suo motu (on its own), unless you turn back the clock to August 10.”

BMC defends Bandra football ground move

Defending its move to approve the Bandra football ground conversion proposal, the Mumbai civic body told the court that its general body took the decision only to publish a notice inviting suggestions and objections from stakeholders.

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Now, the civic body has assured that the change in reservations will happen only after the state government passes an order.

Senior advocate Zal Andhyarujina, representing the football association, alleged that BMC’s general body was told that there was no stay from the HC and therefore the authorities decided to “go ahead” and pass the resolution.

After the court sought to know if the BMC can keep the decision in abeyance till further hearing, Senior Advocate Girish Godbole representing it said that it was not possible under the Municipal Act for the Commissioner to request the general body to suspend or recall the resolution, passed based on the agenda of the meeting circulated last month.