Mumbai: Shiv Sena leaders accuse civic body of not acting on defaulters

The shop owners association has approached the Supreme Court again seeking a stay on the diktat. File pic

The deadline for shops to display Marathi signboards ended five days ago, but it appears that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is not eager to take action against defaulters. Shiv Sena leaders have accused the BMC of going soft on defaulters, while the shop owners association approached the Supreme Court again for a stay on the diktat, and has written to the Chief Minister and civic chief asking them to not take action until the top court's direction.

Though there is less than 40 per cent compliance for Marathi signboards in the city, and the demand for a third extension to the deadline expired on September 30, the BMC has not acted against defaulting shop owners. Its stand raises questions as even the Supreme Court refused to extend the deadline for the implementation of Marathi signboards on September 30. An official from the licence department said they were waiting for approval from senior level to decide on action to be taken.

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"The state government and the BMC take harsh action only against the Shiv Sena and don't want to implement policies. The BMC should take a lesson from what the High Court ruled in the Shivaji Park issue and act accordingly in the interest of people," said Kishori Pednekar, leader of Shiv Sena and former mayor of Mumbai.

According to the amendment in the Maharashtra Shops and Establishments (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) (Amendment) Act, 2022, all shops in the state must display Marathi signboards in Devanagari script. The Federation of Retail Traders Welfare Association (FRTWA) has challenged the constitutionality of the amendment. The hearing was on September 30 but the SC didn't grant a stay while attaching the case to another one. Now Viren Shah, president of FRTWA, has written to CM Eknath Shinde and the civic chief asking them not to take any coercive action as the matter is subjudice.