Mumbai civic polls: Last BMC house had only 2 A-graders; most corporators underperformed even during covid

MUMBAI: As the city heads for civic polls, a recent report on the performance of corporators from the final year of the BMC House (2017-2021) paints a stark picture of underperformance. The findings, released by the Praja Foundation, reveal that only two out of 220 evaluated corporators earned an ‘A’ grade, while the majority fell short of expectations.

Grade Breakdown

• A (80-100 marks): 2 corporators
• B (70-80 marks): 20 corporators
• C-F (below 70 marks): 198 corporators

Out of 227 total corporators, seven were excluded from evaluation due to the mayoral role or incomplete term. Overall, 90% of corporators scored below the average.

Attendance and participation concerns

Committee-meeting attendance fell from 82.15% in 2017-18 to 73.70% in 2019-20. The report also highlighted:

• A year-on-year dip in civic questions raised
• Declining participation even before the pandemic
• Continued low engagement during the pandemic, despite digital tools being available

Systemic weaknesses

The study exposed persistent issues within the civic body:

• Underperformance across most wards
• Limited monitoring mechanisms for corporator activity
• Poor documentation and disclosure of local civic outcomes
• Inefficiencies despite BMC’s large annual budget
• Need for stronger, decentralised decision-making

Implications for Mumbai

The report offers valuable insights for voters ahead of the elections:

• Citizens can access clearer data on corporators’ past performance
• Findings highlight the urgency of overdue reforms in city governance
• Post-elections, there is scope for demanding transparent metrics, attendance records, and publicly accessible dashboards

A citizen activist commented, “The report makes it clear that the city needs representatives who can show real, measurable accountability.”

The State Election Commission on Monday announced that polling for the elections to 29 Municipal Corporations in Maharashtra, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), will be held on January 15, with results scheduled for January 16.

The nomination process will take place from December 23 to 30, followed by scrutiny of the nominations on December 31. Candidates can withdraw their nominations by January 2, and election symbols will be allotted on January 3.