In a big blow to the Opposition in Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the Maharashtra Government has disqualified senior Shiv Sena (UBT) corporator and former Mayor, Vishakha Raut, from being elected as a corporator for six years.

In a government resolution (GR) dated September 1, the Urban Development Department issued the order days after the caste certificate scrutiny committee in Palghar on August 21 cancelled Raut’s OBC caste certificate for filing the certificate under wrongful jurisdiction.

Raut represents the high-profile 191 ward, which encompasses Shivaji Park and Dadar West belt. Earlier in January, Raut contested from the 191 ward – which was reserved as an OBC woman seat – against Shinde-led Shiv Sena’s Priya Sarvankar Gurav. Raut defeated Priya Sarvankar – daughter of former MLA and Sena leader, Sada Sarvankar – by 167 votes, after securing 13,236 votes in a closely watched contest.

“And whereas, Smt. Vishakha Sharad Raut (Smt Vishakha Moreshwar Raul) having been disqualified for being a Councillor under clause (a) of sub-section (IC) of section 16 of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act (III of 1888), his seat as such Councillor has become vacant,” read a part of the GR.

Declaring the disqualification, it added, “Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by clause (b) of sub-section (IC) of section 16 of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act (III of 1888) and of all other powers enabling it in that behalf, the Government of Maharashtra hereby disqualifies Smt. Vishakha Sharad Raut (Smt. Vishakha Moreshwar Raul) for being elected or being a Councillor for a period of six years from the 20th August, 2026.”

Senior UBT-Sena corporator Raut is the fifth corporator of the Opposition fold to be disqualified. However, this is the first case in which the urban development department has issued a direct disqualification order.

Between June and July, at least four corporators from the opposition were disqualified after their caste certificates were declared invalid by the caste verification committee.

Story continues below this ad

On June 18, Deepak Sawant, Shiv Sena (UBT) corporator from ward 111 in Bhandup, lost his seat after the caste scrutiny committee invalidated his OBC caste certificate, which he had submitted while filing his nomination for the January civic elections. On June 22, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) corporator Sameer Ramzan Patel from ward 137 was disqualified on similar grounds. Later, on July 10, Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde announced the disqualification of two more corporators. AIMIM’s Roshan Shaikh from ward 138 and NCP’s Bushra Nadeem Malik from ward 170 in Kurla East were disqualified after their caste certificates were invalidated.