NMC to hold its general body meeting offline

Nashik: The general body (GB) meeting of the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC), scheduled for May 20, will now be held in offline mode following opposition from ruling BJP corporators, forcing the Nashik mayor to roll back her earlier decision to conduct the meeting online.

Mayor Himgauri Aaher had earlier announced that the GB meeting would be held online, in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent appeal to conserve fuel and encourage digital governance. However, the proposal triggered resistance from corporators across party lines, with concerns raised over the effectiveness of virtual proceedings.

The issue was discussed at a late-night meeting of BJP corporators on Monday, chaired by the mayor, where members unanimously demanded that the meeting be conducted physically. Following nearly three hours of deliberations, the mayor agreed to withdraw the earlier decision.

Subsequently, the NMC’s town secretary department issued a notification on Tuesday confirming that the meeting would now take place at the civic headquarters. The civic administration, however, has urged the corporators to use electric vehicles or public transport while attending the meeting.

Corporators argued that online meetings limit discussion time and limit effective participation, especially when several key civic issues require detailed deliberation. These include ongoing works related to the upcoming Simhastha Kumbh Mela, irregular water supply, poor road conditions, sewerage problems, and pending infrastructure projects.

“We held a meeting with the party corporators and they strongly favoured the offline GB meeting, considering multiple pressing issues affecting the city. Physical meetings allow detailed discussions and ensure prompt decision-making,” BJP group leader Shyam Badode told TOI.

The initial decision to conduct the meeting online had met with stiff resistance from opposition parties as well. Shiv Sena (UBT) was the first to oppose the move, followed by corporators from the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, which is part of the ruling alliance in the NMC.

Shiv Sena corporator Rahul Dive had submitted a memorandum to town secretary Sanjay Nerkar, demanding adherence to the conventional in-person format. “Alliance with the BJP does not mean unconditional support. Decisions must be practical and effective,” Dive said.

UBT group leader Keshav Porje also met municipal commissioner Manisha Khatri, urging reconsideration of the decision.