Pune: PMC Legal Department Under Scrutiny After Allegations of Long-Term Disregard for Commissioner’s Orders

Pune, 15th November 2023: Serious allegations have surfaced against the Legal Department of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), accusing it of neglecting orders issued by the Commissioner to submit a consolidated monthly report on the status of all court claims. The controversy has intensified as it has come to light that no such report has been submitted for the past nine years.

The directive for the monthly report was initiated by the former PMC Commissioner, Kunal Kumar, to streamline information about court claims related to the Municipal Corporation. The order mandated that the Legal Department present a consolidated report through the Additional Commissioner by the fifth day of each month. Despite this, no report has been submitted for almost a decade.

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) within the city have raised their concerns over this prolonged non-compliance and are now demanding the suspension of the Head of the Law Department. Vivek Velankar, the President of Sajjan Nagarik Manch, brought this issue to light after seeking information about the number of reports submitted by the Legal department. Shockingly, it was revealed that not a single report had been provided in the last nine years.

Velankar had lodged a complaint with Commissioner and Administrator Vikram Kumar in February, expressing dissatisfaction with the lack of adherence to the Commissioner’s order. Despite the complaint, no monthly report has been forthcoming from the Legal Department, prompting Velankar to accuse the department of deliberately violating orders.

The president of Sajjan Nagarik Manch alleges that the head of the legal department is intentionally avoiding compliance with the Commissioner’s orders, raising concerns about transparency and accountability within the Municipal Corporation. In response to these allegations, Velankar has urged the Commissioner to suspend the head of the legal department and conduct a thorough investigation into the matter.