ULHASNAGAR: In a setback to the ruling Shiv Sena in the Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation (UMC), the Supreme Court has dismissed petitions filed by mayor Ashwini Kamlesh Nikam and House leader Arun Aashan challenging the Bombay High Court’s interim stay on the notification of seven nominated corporators.The Supreme Court declined to interfere with the High Court’s order and directed the petitioners to approach the High Court, asking it to decide the matter within four weeks.The legal dispute centres on the appointment of nominated corporators following the civic body’s special general body meeting on October 1, when the mayor recommended five candidates from the Ulhasnagar Shahar Vikas Aghadi (USVA), dominated by the Shiv Sena, and two from the BJP.The BJP had sought four nominated seats. Mayor Nikam’s decision to recommend only two of the four BJP candidates, despite the municipal commissioner having recommended all four, was challenged by BJP district president Rajesh Vadhrya and Pradeep Ramchandani before the Bombay High Court.Last week the High Court restrained the municipal secretary from taking further steps to notify or publish the names of the nominated corporators under Rule 6 of the Maharashtra Municipal Corporations (Qualifications and Appointment of Nominated Councillors) Rules, 2012.A bench of Justices Girish S Kulkarni and Neela K Gokhale observed that there appeared to be substance in the petitioners’ contention over whether the mayor had the authority to reject nominations recommended by the municipal commissioner and retain only two of the four BJP candidates.The High Court had issued notices to the respondents and directed them to file reply affidavits by October 12.However, before the matter could proceed further in the High Court, Nikam and Aashan approached the Supreme Court, seeking relief from the interim stay.With the Supreme Court dismissing their pleas, the dispute will now return to the Bombay High Court. The notification of the seven nominated corporators remains subject to the outcome of the proceedings.
